Overpowering
by Nat D
Summary: She's in a dry spell. And it is NOT pleasant. She finds a guy who she'd like to... Scratch her itch, but oh boy. Does he come with bagage. Between her job, her shoes, her values, his amazing golden eyes and his fianceé, will she get him? Or is she just too much for him? Too overpowering? - AU, all human, modern times. Inu/Kag.
1. Chapter 1

**Huh. I cannot believe I'm doing this. **

**Hi, guys. Let me explain the situation for you, real quick. **

**I first wrote this fic when I was 16 years old, in Portuguese. I was in high school, bored out of my life, and came up with this during a math class, if I'm not mistaken. **

**I posted it in 2007, just after I turned 17. So the original version was a bit juvenile. But I was re-reading it, and thought I could give it a try and translate it and change it up a bit to sound more mature. **

**It's completed, but not fully translated. If you guys like it, I can finish and post the rest. **

**Please be aware that this is really, really out of charachter. Like, really. I basically just borrowed the names. **

**Different personalities, different location (it takes place in New York, for the sole reason that I know the city way more than I know anything about Japan, and that makes it easier to create a believable setting for the story). **

**I hope you don't find it too "new" and enjoy it. And, please, tell me what you think. It's been a while since I posted anything, so my confidence in posting this is on the floor. I'm convinced everybody will hate it, LOL. Any grammatical mistakes you find, don't hesitate to point them out for me.**

**Anyway. There you go. Don't kill me please. **

**Love, **

**Nat'**

**.:.**

**Disclaimer: You know it's not mine. **

**.:.**

There are times I think I should knock on a convent's door a go "Hey Sister, what's up? So. Given my state of absolute lack of a love and sexual life I decided to hear the Divine message and become a nun. You okay with it?".

You must have gone through this, or at least something like it. But, if you haven't, I'll share my terrible, awful, gut-wrenching story. Okay, my story.

I was a bride for three years. Him? Oh, he was the most perfect guy I could ask for. Tall, blond, green eyes, strong, gentle, nice, an excellent lover, my true friend, handsome and rich. Filthy rich. I liked to compare him with Ryan Gosling. Or Brad Pitt.

Yes, darlings. During three years, I lived the life of a princess. I had the perfect man, the perfect job, the perfect home, and everything I wanted in the palm of my hand. Jimmy would buy me the whole city if I asked him.

By now you must be asking yourself "Well, WHAT HAPPENED? Where did all this magic go?". I answer you.

He's gay.

Yes, girlfriend, I know. I spent three years of my life engaged to a closeted homosexual.

Do you have any idea what it is to think that your perfect future is guaranteed, and suddenly find out that the hot doctor that has been sleeping next to you watches The Vampire Diaries not to keep you company, but because he also likes to admire the same _things _you like to admire? Well, I hope you don't.

The separation was smooth. He just up and came one day, and was so incredibly lovely about the whole thing. I've never been dumped so nicely.

We became friends. Great friends. Jimmy is an espectacular fashion adviser, if you must know.

He ended up going back to England. Sent me post cards. Get this: he got married. _Married. _Well, not married, gay people still couldn't get married in England then (YAY British people for finally approving on it, btw. Cheers. You not only have a Queen now, but a bunch of others, slightly poorer and not as Royal queens, that can now express their love. Kudos.) His partner is very handsome and also very very nice, which, for some reason, make things even worse.

As for me, I haven't had a serious relationship since him. Or a shalow one, for that matter. No flings, one night stands, nothing. Zero. Don't ask me why. It has been a year of this dry spell.

Sweet life, huh?

Work helps, I guess. I'm a fashion designer. I work for Maison T, for about six years now, since I graduated from college. I earn enough money to live with dignity, pay my bills, have a kick ass apartament and a nice car.

(What? I have a life style.)

The thing is, all this seems a little dull when I hear that my neighboor's hot boyfriend arrived next door and, by the sounds they're making through the wall, is pressing her against the furniture and doing whatever the hell he wants.

She tells me he does that, as if I wasn't aware.

That's why, this past year, I've been dedicating myself a lot more to work than to my personal life. My boss is the one who seems to be enjoying my exaggerated dedication. Her name is Sango, and we are actually really good friends.

She's lucky. I've been noticing that she has been catching the eye of Miroku Houshi, New York's most treasured event planner - he also organises all our fashion shows. Twice this week I've intercepted texts from him, inviting her to go to LA with him, to "help him figure out what to do fot this Mercedes party". Like he needs help ith his work. Ok.

He didn't get rich with the help of others.

He is very, very hot. A convict womanizer -I'm sure he has slept with half the women on this office. He came on to me once, soon after we met, but I was engaged then, so.

And it as because of Miroku that, one fine day, _that _happened.

I was in my office, all dolled up and perfumed, working quietly when he opened the door with one of those trade mark one sided smiles that has panties dropping all around the Tri-State Area.

"Kagome, my angel." He leaned on the door frame, while the other held the knob, and looked at me, all charming on his Armani suit.

"What is it that you want, Miroku?"

"I need the design of Chiara's dress for next Saturday's runway. Can you do that for me, sugar?

"Sure, I'll just archive it and you can have it, in a second. Why do you need the dress design? Don't you produce the show?

"I do, babe. Chiara is my star on this one. I'm creating a scenario that flatters her ourfit. Am I brilliant or what? Huh? Brilliant? Or what?"

"Brilliant, Miroku."

"And you are just too tasty." He winked at me and walked out.

I finished touching up the design (I wasn't really done with it), backed it up and got up to go to his office (he has one here, since he spends so much time working for us) about twenty minutes later. I found the right corridor almost empty, just one or two people walking with papers and materials on their hands. I walked a little faster, since his office was all the way across, and the corridor was quite big.

Only someone else needed to get to the opposite side of the way, the side I as coming from.

A guy in a gray suit bumped into me and all the papers he was holding went flying to the floor, along with my croqui.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention!" I started, while he just bent down to get all the papers.

"It's alright, don't worry." He answered, all serious.

My chin almost hit my heels (YSL and you know it), but I'm too self aware to let anything like that happen.

Broad back, extremely blond hair (almost silver, with a touch of gold), golden eyes (I swear. Golden. Like that Cullen vampire, only not creepy), strong face and - I can only imagine - a chest and arms to die for. The man was the most delicious thing I have ever had the pleasure of bumping into.

"Higurashi, right?"

Oh. Down, shivers.

"Uh, yeah. How do you know that?"

"My name is Inuyasha Taisho, I'm Sango's lawyer. She tells me a lot about you. And I've seen you walking around here." He said in a nice tone, but not too nice.

Oooh, misterious... _Stop it._

"Oh. How come I've never seen you around?" I said, flipping my hair, very subtly.

"I don't come here a lot. And when I do, I'm mostly at Sango's office."

"I see. Well, Mr. Taisho, it's been a ple-"

"Oh, please, Mr Taisho is my dad. Call me Inuyasha. Ok?"

And _then, _he smiled at me. I almost lost my shit and jumped him right then and there, on that damn red, empty corridor, incredibly perfect for a quick rendezvous. But, again, I'm very "posh", as Jimmy would say, so I controlled myself.

"Ok, Inuyasha. It was a pleasure to meet you. But I do need to go. See you around?" I smiled, my Tom Ford lipstick put to the charm test.

"I sure hope so. See you."

I walked towards Miroku's office, swaying my hips a little, just in case he was watching me leave.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, what a man.

I opened the door to his office and looked at the back of his leather chair. He was on the phone with whoever and was facing the panoramic window the showed a beautiful view of the Hudson. I sat on a chair in front of his desk, all smiles to the walls, waiting for him to talk to me. A few moments later and he turned his chair around, hung up and looked at me like he wasn't very happy.

"You know that I'd do anything for you, right, princess? You know I'd do everything to back you up, but when you run late with the only thing that's keeping me from finishing the show, it get's complicated, sugar."

"I know, I know, sorry, I had a... Thing, unpredicted."

"What thing? Did you bra snap? Do you want my help to fix it?"

Gone was the scolding face, there was the suave man.

"No, my bra is fine. Here's the croqui. Can I go?"

He got the paper from my hand, smiled all sexy and looked at me.

"I'd _love _to see you in that cleavage, Kagome."

"In your dreams, maybe. Do you need anything else?"

"Oh, I do! Can you take this message to Sango, if you happen to stop by her office today? My texts aren't going through, for some reason." He gave me a little folded paper.

"Sure, no problem."

"Thanks, sugar."

"Anything else, you highness?"

"No, no, babe, you can go. Unless you want to give me a kiss good bye."

I smiled and leaned closer, over his desk. He looked at me all sassy. I turned his head and pressed a feather, long kiss on his cheek.

"Don't tease me, Kagome."

"Tease? Me? I'm not teasing anybody. How can yu say that?" I winked, turned around and walked to the door. "See you, Miroku."

"Don't go calling me a perv later!" He said before I closed the door behind me.

I walked to my office. After cheking everything, I started putting my things on my purse to go home.

Not before, of course, stopping by Sango's to demand an explanation. Why in the hell she had hidden her foxy lawyer from me all this time?

On my way, I checked my outfit on the mirrored wall that led me the her office: red pencil skirt with a white silk blouse with a light cleavege and the nude pumps gave me an innocent, yet provocating air. My hair was down. Most men liked that outfit.

Do you think he liked it? The lawyer?

Maybe I'd bump into him again. A girl can hope.

I knocked on the door before walking in.

"Hey, Sango, I'm - Oh! Mr. Taisho!"

Oh glory be! There was the man, leaning on her desk by her side.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here! I can come back..."

Please stop me. Please, pretty freaking please.

"I thought we agreed no 'Mr.', huh?" He smiled at me. And I'm telling you, i wanted to straight up lick his teeth. And his lips. Damn. "And please, stay. We were just wrapping up anyway."

"Do you guys know each other?" Sango said, after sipping on her tea.

"We met today, on the corridor. I almost threw her on the ground, by accident."

Oh, you can throw me on the ground _anytime _you want. For real.

"Hmm."

"So I think that is it. I can get you the fine print by tomorrow afternoon."

"Yes, Inyasha, thank you!"

"You're welcome. I'm on my way, then."

"Oh, wait!" I said, desperate for something to hold him there. "Why don't you, uh... Come to the show next Saturday? It'll be great."

"Hah! Yeah right. Like he comes to any fashion show." Sango said, looking at somehing on her computer.

"You don't like fashion?" I asked, slightly smiling.

"Not as a rule. But I suppose I can make an exception on Saturday."

"Really? Are you coming, then?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"Oh, great!" I tried not to sound too excited, but it was difficult. "I'll have Miroku put you on the guest list then."

"No need, I can ask him."

"Do you know him?"

"Yeah, high school friends and all. I was coming from his office when I bumped into you." And that smile again.

I could feel my bones melting and my muscles getting warm.

"I have to go. See you next week, then?" He asked Sango.

"Yeah." She said from her chair, smiling at him like a little sister would.

"See you there, Kagome." He said when he walked past me. And then he was gone. Like a God that appeared for a few moments to leave you stunned and then left you to miss his amazing presence.

"Is it just me" Sango said when the door closed "Or there was a _moment _going on here just now?"

"Do you think so?!"

"Oh, no, not at all. It was just the weather that changed very very drastically and made you two almost yank each other's clothes off to cool off. Nothing else."

She leaned back on her chair and looked at me like she was telling me to spill the beans.

"You!" I pointed a finger at her "Owe me an explanation!"

"Me? What did I do?"

"You've been hiding you hunky lawyer form me for... I don't know how long."

"Oh, please, I didn't hide him."

"Did, too! You know I'm about to create spider webs from the lack of touching and still hid that hot piece of ass all to yourself."

"I was not hiding him!"

"Whatever! Why didn't you introduce us before?!"

"Well, I don't know, I thought you wouldn't like a guy like him."

"Wha- Are you out of your mind? What's not to _like_?!"

"Oh, I don't know, I didn't really think about it, sorry."

"Well, I do know him now."

"And know him well, as I could see."

I smiled. I only wished I knew him _well. _

Hey! Don't give me that look. If you were in my situation you would understand!

"Sango, I want the full report! Does he have kids? Is he married? Is he taken? Divorced?

"Umm... No, no, more or less and no."

"More or less what? Is he married?!" I panicked.

"No. But he is taken."

Damn it all to hell. The best ones always are.

"But, he's been having problems for a while. They're on a break."

"Break? That's awesome! What kind of break? Ross break or Rachel break?"

"I'm not sure. I just know that he is trying to slow things down a bit with his fianceé."

"Fianceé?!" I literally fell on my ass on one of her chairs.

He has a fianceé. Which means the "break" wasn't gonna last long. Craaaaaap.

"Yes. Which, by the way, is a complete and utter bitch. I cannot stand the sight of that woman."

"Do you know her? Is she pretty?"

"Hmm. Normal. Skinny, but the wrong type. No boobs, no ass, no nothing. Stuck up. She looks like she's made of clay or something."

"Huh. What is Inuyasha, being all the man that he is, is doing with a woman like that?"

"I don't know. I just know I need to get back to work, sweetie, sorry."

"It's ok, I'm heading home. I'm done for the day, been here since, like, 7 A.M. And I have to stop by the stylist to see if my dress is ready."

"Lucky you. I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"See you." I was about to walk out when I remembered. "Oh yes! Miroku asked me to give you this." I gave her the tiny paper.

She opened and read it with a strange face.

"What?"

"Listen to this: 'My love, could you please come to my office when you're not busy? I need to sort some details with you. Love, M'." and looked at me with an expression like she was dismissing it.I just smiled.

"You are so silly, did you know that? If it was a note for me, he would call me sugar, princess, flower and what not. But with you he's just so... Sincere. I think he actually does like you."

"That man-whore? Hah. Yeah, right." She got up and walked out to see what was it that he wanted.

I walked out too, and stopped by the elevator, only to have a secretary tell me that there was a man waiting for me in my office.

"Man? What man?"

Inuyasha?!

"Hmm, I forgot his name. He has brown hair, looks good. Like, he's a Bieber type. Too pretty for a boy?"

Oh damn.

"Is it Houjo?"

"That's it!"

"What does he want? Did he tell you?"

"He didn't, actually. Just told me he would wait for you in your office and smiled at me."

Ugh. Houjo.

"Ok, thanks."

I walked back to my office as if Miley Cyrus was there waiting for me: draggig my feet.

Trust me. You don't want to know.

Walking in, I found him looking at the paintins on my walls.

"Houjo, how are you?"

"Higurashi! Hello!" He walked to me and kissed my hand.

Yeah, yeah, very nice. Ugh.

"Listen. You are attending next Saturday's show, obviously?"

"I am."

"Do you have company?" He smiled his very white teeth at me.

I had to admit. The man had nice teeth.

I wanted to say "Ooh, I do, hunny, sorry! I'm going with Inuyasha Taisho, do you know him? He's a totally hot lawyer that is _all over _my game as of lately. Sorryyy." But I couldn't.

"Um, no, not yet."

"How about being my date for the evening?" His blue eyes shone at me.

Houjo is the type of guy every mother would approve. He's handsome, he's so very nice, hard worker (he's a doctor. I met in highs school and got back in touch when I found out he worked with Jimmy), financially stable, a real gentleman, always puts you first. But... He took my cousin to prom and she told me _all _the details of their back-seat of his car activities, so. Yeah, no.

However. I could never, in a billion years, show up alone at the fashion show, and I really didn't have much time left to get a date, so.

Le internal sigh.

"Sure, that sounds great." I tried to smile. It wasn't the guy's fault he was so uninteresting. Even if he _was _a doctor. A kinda-sorta-cute one too.

"Great!" He smiled brightly and looked at his watch. "Fantastic. I do have to go now, Higurashi, I'm terribly sorry."

Don't be sorry, dude. Just _go_.

"What do you say I pick you up at eight?"

"A car will take me. You can be there at eight thirty, that's when the driver's scheduled to show up."

"Brilliant. See you then!"

I smiled - a full on "show him you teeth" smile, but I think maybe it ended up being creepy.

Okay. Okay. This isn't so bad. I mean, everybody is taking a date, and now I would too. Houjo is not such bad company after all.

Turning off the lights of my office, I walked out again. I was at the office since the early hours in the morning, sorting out the details for the show. "Exhausted" defined me.

.:.

Scootch over a little bit, my ego wants some space.

Because, honestly, I rock so hard at this.

Looking at myself on my closet mirror, I felt so so good. The long, sleek black dress was simply magnificent. Imagine Gwyneth Paltrow white Tom Ford at the Oscar's. That, only black and with a hint os tranparency here and there, fattering my best features. And no cape.

I was so damn hot.

And, mind you, wearing some Harry Winston jewerly they sent over as a gift. A _gift_! My wrists and ears were worth almost a million dollars right now. Literally. That's the price of the amazing pieces they sent me.

_Dayum, gurl!_

(Yeah, I can't pull that off.)

I can't wait to see Miroku's face, haha!

But now that I think of it, he'll probably be drooling all over whatever Sango has on. She could show up dressed in one of those Christina Aguilera outfits (come on, girl. Get real), and he would still engage on some serious eye-fucking.

Pardon my French.

I was just checkin my hair when my phone buzzed.

_"I'm downstairs, Higurashi! And our driver is here too. Do you need me to go fetch you?" _Houjo asked, all gentleman-y.

"No, no, I'll be right down. One minute."

"Oh!" The lady in the elevator said to me. She's a very nice old lady. Her hair is purple. Le giggles. "You look absolutely lovely, dear!"

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Otens! How is Frank?" Her husband.

"Oh." She scoffed and made a dismissing gesture with her hand. "So incredibly _boring, _dear. He is right now reading a golfing magazine and listening to the Paisiello's vinil. Even the cat looks bored out of his mind."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. No woman should be bored on a Saturday night."

"That is why, my dear, you and I are alike! Youare off to your Fashion Show, and I'm off to play poker with the girls!" She giggled and I smiled.

'The girls' were her high school friends. Can you believe they are still in touch? That is so nice.

"And after the game we will watch re-runs of _Teen Wolf!_ The young men in there are most definitely _not _boring, don't you agree?" And laughed, all happy.

I loved her.

Walking out of the building, I saw the driver open the back door for me (Mrs. Otens went to the garage for her car), and Houjo adjusted his tie. He looked good. Wearing an all black suit, shirt and shoes, with a red tie. Nice.

"Hello! You look beautiful!", he smiled at me, and kissed my hand again.

I smiled as a thank you and got in, he climbed after me.

"Are these free?" He asked the driver, lifting a bag of M&M's.

Oh, geez.

.:.

It wasn't a huge, huge event. Nothing like a fashion week or whatever. It was not even a new collection show. This whole event was kinda of a ceremony to introduce the new designers team, which included me. I wasnt't new, but some of the other designers were, especially hour accessories team.

But we do like to party, hence the red carpet (that wasn't red. It was navy blue, but whatever).

I'm not gonna lie to you, ok? I'm not one of those people that shy away from the flashes. I like seeing my face on Elle every once and a while. So I smiled to the cameras and posed with some celebrities that were wearing my designs.

MIla Kunis was _stunning _in the deep green skinny dress I made for her.

(I adore her, btw. Girl crush and what not).

Walking in - with Houjo on my arm again - the party was already on full swing. I found Sango quickly, she was walking briskly towards the backstage entrance.

"Kagome! Good! You're here! I need you- Wow. You look amazing!"

I smiled and posed a little.

"Thank you! You too!"

She did.

She has an amazing sense of style, very classic. She was dressed in a nude long, sleeveless dress, the bust and the neck were see-through. Very chic.

"Thanks. Houjo, how are you?"

"I'm good, I'm good. Thank you. Beautiful party! You do look stunning."

She smiled.

"Thank you very much. If you don't mind, I have to steal Kagome for a bit, we need her backstage."

"Oh, please, take the time you need. I'll go find our seats."

After we went backstage and I dealed with what need to be sorted (hair, make up, a shoe string that got loose, a rogue zipper, etc), we walked back out and into Miroku.

He was wearing a white suit. I swear. But he pulled it off. He really did. I don't know how.

He was hot, that was the truth.

"Good evening ladies. Kagome, you look ravishing."

I smiled at him, but he didn't see it, he was eyeing Sango like he wantd to melt her clothes off.

"You be careful, Sango. Keep dressing like that and my heart will fail and I'll go to the hospital and it'll be your fault. You are almost too beautiful."

He meant it, too. You could totally tell he did by the way his body was leaning towards her, all possessive.

"Thank you, Houshi." She narrowed her eyes at him.

Oh, Sango. I don't know if you're a genious or a fool.

He stopped a staff member that was walking by us and I leaned to whisper to my friend.

"So. Is our lawyer already here?"

"He is. Got here a little before you did."

I almost squaled in excitement.

"Is he alone?"

"No. The brat is with him."

Puff went my excitement.

"You're kidding."

"I'm not. All stuck up. Spoke to me as if I worked for her, or whatever. Maybe she forgets I'm her husband's client, not the other way around."

"Fiancé! Not husband!"

"Whatever."

"Damn. There goes my plan."

"You had a plan?"

"Yes, you know. The usual plan."

"Oh, I see. Hair flipping, fingers over cleavege, hips sway and all the jazz?" She smiled and made all the gestures, which captured Miroku's eyes, distracting him form the isntructions he was giving to the guy.

"Yes, all that."

After that she proceeded to tell me how she found out she had a very hot neighboor that worked in finances.

Come on, now! Everybody get's a hot neighboor, but me? I suppose Jake - the son of the couple that lives above me - is very fit, but he's in highs school. Doesn't count.

She didn't get to finish the neighboor story. She started to poke me discreetly.

"Heads up."

"Huh?"

She smiled at me all weird and oh.

_Oh!_

Okay.

Out of nowhere, I laughed like she had said something funnyand touched my chest.

"Good evening."

Oooh, that voice. Manly, sexy, smooth, low, and, I swear, _dirty, _said behind me.

I turned, as if I didn't know who was talking, and made the most surprised face I could manage(Mila had taught me a few tricks). There he was, smiling at me, all nice.

Don't be _nice, _Inuyasha. You can be bad if you want.

"Mr. Taisho, you made it!" I smiled more brightly.

"Kagome. This will be the third time I tell you not to call me that. Will I have to sue you?" He winked at me. He _totally _winked at me.

You can sue the pants out of me if you want, man.

My smile turned from bright to _only-a-little-bit _evil.

It didn't last long, though. He opened his mouth and started spilling garbage.

"This is my fianceé, Kikyou Ahitaka. Kikyou, this is Kagome Higurashi."

She was a stick. A white stick with black hair.

Honestly, Inuyasha.

She offered me one of her hands and _wow, _where's the Titanic that hit that rock?

Big ass diamond. Holy shit.

"Miss Higurashi. I've herad a lot about your work. I was so surprised when Inuyasha told me he had met you."

"Oh, how nice!" I replied, with the best smile I could offer her (which, I admit, was not very much).

I noticed, from the corner of my eyes, that Inuyasha was looking at me. A half smile on his lips.

Cue in - spine shiver.

"I really am looking forward to the show. Am I right to assume the designs will be less antiquated than last season's collection?"

Hold up - hold the _fuck _up.

What?!

I saw Inuyasha turn his head to her, the smile vanishing from his face.

"Well, I don't know _what _exactly you are expecting, but if I were you, I'd be prepared. This is not a season's collection. This is abstract. Conceptual. I'd brace myself, if I were you." and I did a once over her dress.

Get this: polyester. Light green pollyester. I'm not even kidding.

And _I'm_ antiquated. Ok.

"Excuse me, I'll go find my date. A pleasure... _Inuyasha._"

Oh, yes I did. I used the Miroku patented Eye-Fuck®. Screw it.

"I'll go with you." Sango said.

I walked backstage again, because I looked over the front row and realised Houjo was boring the brains out of Zac Efron.

He was a fan.

"I cannot _believe_ the nerve on that woman!" I exclaimed once we were inside.

"I told you. I told you she was a which. I cannot stand her." Sango agreed.

"Yow know what?" I walked to where the models were finishing their hair and make up and starting to get dressed.

"Gils!" I called, they all looked at me. "Let's kill it tonight. There's a chick out there that doubts our work. Let's fuck up her mind."

They laughed and cheered and whistled, applauding, some screaming "Fuck yeah!"

I love a bitch-riot.

I helped them get into their dresses and walked back out with Sango.

"Are you sitting right here?" Sango asked Miroku, who apparently was going to take the seat by her right. I would be on her left.

"Of course, angel. Where else?"

She sighed, sat next to him and he took er hand, kissed it, and returned it to her lap.

Yep. Fool it is.

Oh, look how great. Inuyasha and the White Stick are next to us. Well, next to Miorku, really, but still.

Talk about raining about someone's parade. Bitch.

"Is it about to start? It's been a while and noting interesting has happened." I heard the Stick saying.

Like a teenager, I sighed and rolled my eyes, looking at Sango and catching a glimpse of Miroku's bored and annoyed expression.

Let me make something very clear here: this party was _not _lame. I mean, with four different separate rooms with different types of parties going on, one assumes people will find a way to have fun. Mirku had done an excelent job.

The lights suddenly dimmed and the special lights for the stage went on. People hurried to get to their seats.

The big white light shone towards the front of the runway, and the music started.

You know, that _Bom Bom _one, that makes ablosute no sense but it's great to strut to.

The first model came in, wearing a black silk jacket with red lapels, a _short short _skirt and mouting boots. My design.

I looked at the Stick when Naya - the model - walked past me. She was looking at the runway like she wanted to set it on fire.

Ha. Burn.

One after the other, the models came in and out, sporting different models, all dark in color.

"Aaaaaand..." Miroku said, after a while.

Chiara walked in, and the lights changed to match the colors on her dress - Yellows and blacks, that went around and made her look sexy. So, so sexy.

She wasn't one of those models that were plain. This one has a phenomenal set of boobs on her.

People whistled and clapped, because the music changed and so did the theme. Chiara introduced the part of the show that focused on accessories and shoes.

I suddenly excused myself with Houjo - who was holding my hand, poor thing - and looked at Sango, who was looking at the stage, looking all proud. She was so proud of Miroku, I could tell. But she would never admit it.

While Chiara walked back, I got up and walked backstage again. It was time.

It was a big mess. People shouting, running around, a bunch of naked models, you know. Fashion show backstage normal drill.

I sat on a chair and three make up artists came to fix whatever was wrong with my face.

"Hey, Kagome!" Rin waved at me, from her own chair.

Rin Kosaka is one of the new designers, and I'm kinda of her "mentor". I'm the one who teaches her how everything works on Maison T, the one she brings her first drafts to and all. She's this girl that you can't help but love. And we are actually really similar to each other. Take shopping, for instance. We once went on a shopping spree that forced us to hire some guys to carry our bags for us (ok, not _hire. _I just called the security dudes from work and tiped them generously).

But she is very different than me when it comes to getting guys.

She is a sweetheart. Sweet smile, sweet temper, all princess like. She wins people without even realizing she's doing it.

I'm not like that. I find a target and _move. _Until I get it. I like a seduction game. Not Rin. She loves romances, the epic ones, and that reflects on her clothes.

She is brilliant. She makes the basic become new, the cheesy become trendy. And all very subtly, with romance written all over it.

My designs are more out there. I'm not scared of innovating, of exploring all that I can.

And then a White Stick pops out of nowhere and tells me I'm antiquated. Give me a fucking break.

"I'm so nervous!" She said, while a girl with green hair applied blush on her cheeks. Her hands were contorting on each other in the lap of her white shimmering tube dress.

"Oh, honey, relax. You are going to be perfect."

"There you go!" My make up artist said. "All done. You're gonna kill it."

"Boys, boys! Let us go! It's tiiiime!" Jakotsu, the coreographer, shouted from behind a courtain.

I'll tell you about Jakotsu. He is the best of the best in the business. I have never met a runway coach better than him. He walks in heels better than I do.

"Let's go, oh, tasty ones! Move those tight butts of yours!" He instructed to the male modes that walked, on by one, to the runway.

"Sweet Jesus in Heaven. I wish I was born with a toosh like that!" He said, turning towards me and Rin. "Oh, my goddesses! You are divine! So chic!" He got Rin's hands and gave her dress a once over. "Excuse me, darling." And _snap! _Tore the buttons of her discreet cleavege, making her gasp. Miroku would call the view of the curve of her breasts the "Perfect Spot in Heaven".

"Jakotsu!" She exclaimed, holding her own boobs to shield them from view.

"Don't worry, dear, we'll fix that right up." He snapped his fingers and a very, _very _short woman walked in and started sewing Rin's dress back together. When she walked back, Rin had the most amazing cleavege. A little more deep, with some sparkling points, like the lady had added some diamonds to her dress, for real. It shimmered in the most magical way.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, pointing like a six year old. "I want to shimmer too!"

"Jakotsu! I look like a slut!"

"You do not!" And, to add, he started spraying something on her hair that made it shimmer too.

"Jakotsu!" I pointed again. "I want the shimmer!"

"Kagome, darling." He looked at me. "If I made your cleavege any bigger and your hair more sparkling, you would whipe out everybody else. People would forget everybody else and focus on you, and that's not our goal." He lifted my chin as if to get a better look at my face. "And besides, you already look too overpowering as it is."

Overpowering? Wow. Really?

Yay me!

"Wow, wow, baby, just woooow." Bankotsu, one of the models, walking in for his first round. "Kagome. You look... Delicious, if I may."

Bankotsu is the tiger type. He was the one, after Miroku, that had the job to lift my self esteem. Big pretty boy, all muscles and hair. He really was nice, but a little too wild for me.

"Thank you, Bankotsu." I winked at him and he touched his heart, as if he was going to faint.

Oh boy. What an ammetour.

"Go, go, dear, go!" Jakotsu urged him, pushing him towards the runway. He put his sexy face on and walked out.

"Heyyy!" Rin whined from her spot. "My dress! Re-fix it, please!"

"Oh, darling, let it go. You look fabulous. Not slutty. Fabulous. Let's not forget... He's here tonight." He said and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Who's 'he'?" I asked.

Rin blushed and looked down, trying to hide a smile.

"Guys! Who's '_he_' ?Who is he who is here, Rin?"

"The guy she has her eye on. I'm telling you, girl, a _fine _specimen."

"How do I not know about him, Rin?!" I was offended!

"Oh, I haven't had... The time, you know. It's been so crazy at work..."

"Yeah, right."

What the hell? I always tell about my little flirts to Rin. Why didn't she tell me this one? I'm her boss! She has to tell me! It's in her job description!

Ok. None of that is true. I'm not her boss, she doesn't have to tell me anything, and it's not on her job description.

But still. Cold move.

"Annnd, you're up! Go, go, gilrs!"

We held hands, I plasterd my photographer-smile on and we walked out.

I _love _to walk on the runway after a show. People stood up and clapped and the music was blasting and the other stylists and their protégés walked behind us.

I look on Sango's direction. She blew me a kiss and clapped, smiling widely. Miroku was whistling and clapping. Houjo - whatever, I didn't really look.

The Stick wasn't clapping. She was browsing her phone.

That made me happier than anything.

And Inuyasha. He was standing up, clapping too, but I couldn't read his expression. I only knew that he was looking straight to me.

You should leave Twitter for a while, Stick. Your man is Eye-Fucking® me. You should definetly check that out.

Unfortunately it was all over pretty quickly. Me and Rin made our turn, and in no time, were back out of the runway.

"Rin! Explain right now why I don't know about your affair!"

"Affair! I'm not having an affair!" She said, while accepting the hugs and congratulations from the people celebrating around us.

"What is his name?"

She giggled.

"Oh, it's a mouthful! But the good kind of mouthful."

Did Rin just make a dirty joke?

I looked at Jakotsu, who was just as baffled as I am. We stared at her, mouths hanging open.

"What?" She asked. "Oh! Oh my God! That's not what I mean!" She coverd her face with her hands.

I laughed a little.

"His name, Rin!"

"Taisho! Sesshoumary Taisho."

"What?! Taisho?! Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Are you certain it's not Inuyasha Taisho?"

"What? No! I think I'd know his name, Kagome. That's his brother. They work together, too."

Brother! There's TWO of him!

"Oh my goodness, you must be joking!" We walked out to the main room.

I was so excited. I mean, Rin would have a brother and I would have the other! We would be family!

That, of course, if he gets real and lose that damn fianceé.

Before I could explain the situation to her, we were suddenly surrounded by a mini hoard of people. Sango, Miroku, Houjo, Inuyasha and the Stick were all on us, congratulating and hugging (except for her, who was still tweeting).

"You guys rocked!" Sango exclaimed. "You were so fierce and fabulous and amazing!"

"I have no words. The highlight of the night, for sure. Kagome, you are a vision." Miroku glued his eyes on my boobs. "And Rin! I am dumbfounded!" He said, taking her hand and twirling her around.

"Oh, Miroku, stop!" She giggled and touched his arm.

Houjo didn't say anything. He was just there, standing and smiling at me.

"Congratulations, Kagome. That was fantastic." Inuyasha let go of his over sized accessorie and kissed my hand.

It could really be my imagnation and my whishful thinking here, but I could swear he gave a _look_.

There was suddenly a hand on Rin's back, all big and strong and manly.

It was a more mature copy of the man who was still holding my hand. A little taller, his hair the same shade of white-silver-golden.

Sexy.

He was wearing a gray suit, no tie.

There was suddenly this image in my head, of myself unwrapping the two brothers at Christmas morning. They would make fanstastic presents.

"You look lovely." He said, very low, to Rin. But we all heard, because we were paying attention.

Let me tell you something. I would do anything that voice commanded me. From "Kagome, do that" to "Shut up and strip." I would. I so totally would.

"Shess!" Rin smiled big, and he leaned in and kissed her on the corner of her lips, holding her waist like he was saying "My property, back off."

Huh. It was so damn obvious they were doing it.

"Sess, this is Kagome Higurashi, the one I can't shut up about." She introduced me.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Higurashi."

Oooh, boy. What happened to the AC?

"All mine. I hope she said good things!"

"Only the best. Excellent work, I watched the show, even though I got here a little late. I'm sorry about that." he said to Rin. "I admired your work. Congratularions."

"Oh, thank you very much."

He said hello to the rest of the group, and even kissed the top of Sango's head, who acted like she was being protected y her big brother and shook Houjo's hand, who called him by his first name and asked how he was doing.

"Brother." he said to Inuyasha, who only moved his head to aknowledge him.

So. Everybody knew the two brothers but me.

Is this a set up? A plot? Was everybody planning on leaving me ignorant to the existence of the hot stuff of our gang?

Does everybody want me to die stacking pillows to shape like a guy around myself in bed? Is that it?!

Yes. I have like four extra pillows just so I can cuddle something when it's cold. Sue me.

"Inuyasha, I'm not feeling very well. Could you take me home, please?"

Guess who?

"Right now?" He asked, looking at her.

"Yes, I had a busy day."

"Oh, sure. It must be exhausting, spending hours walking around shopping. I'm so sorry for her." Sango whispered to me.

Inuyasha walked away, holding her by her arm until they were far enough we wouldn't hear their ocnversation. I made a point not to look towards them.

"Well", I said, smiling. "So you and Inuyasha are brothers!"

"Half brothers. Sess and Yash have the same dad." RIn explained.

_Yash? _Aren't you guys tight?

And this dad must be something. Look at the blessed genes he passed to his kids.

"I see. And you're a lawyer?"

"He's a judge!" Rin said again.

A _judge! _Does he get to bang that little hammer? Hot.

"Well, I'm not doing that anymore. I am a partner in my father's office."

Meaning: he's loaded.

"Success!" Jakotsu came screaming towards us. "Sango, darling! I haven't seen you in a week!" He gave her a kiss to each cheek. "We have to talk about our pilates class. I can't handle that bitch without your support."

"You got it." She smiled back.

"_Miroky_!" That's what he calls Miroku. He skipped to his side and gave him a peck on the cheek too, which made the violet eyed man smile all awkward (Did I not mention he has violet eyes? It's the weirdest thing. Fascinating).

"Hey, man. How are you?"

"Rin. Aren't you going to introduce me?" He said, eyeing Sesshoumaru.

As if he didn't know who he was.

Rin introduced them. Sesshoumaru looked unnaffected to Jakotsu's hints that he was extremely hot.

Inuyasha came back, Stick-less.

"I apologise, Kikyou wasn't feeling very well, I had to get a car to take her home."

Jakotsu's eyes widened.

"Oh my. This is the night of... New friends." And giggled. He offered his hand to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, this is Jakotsu," I said. "Our coreographer from heaven. Jak, this is Inuyasha Taisho, Sesshoumareu's brother and Sango's lawyer."

"And my best friend." Miroku smiled.

Awwn! How cute!

"A pleasure, I assure you!" The way he stared at Inuyasha was making _me _unconfortable.

"Kagome. Would you come with me to the buffet for a moment?"

Jakotsu didn't say that. Nor did Sango. Or Rin or Miroku.

Inuyasha did.

"Oh. Sure, ok. Excuse me." I said to the others. Jakotsu had seen Houjo by now, and was fixing his suit on his body. Haha. Poor thing.

Inuyasha offered me his arm. I took it, mind you. Didn't even think about it.

"Is Kikyou ok?"

See how I managed to say her name, instead of Stick? Yay me.

"Oh, yes!" He scoffed. "She was just being dramatic. I apologize, by the way, for what she said earlier. I really-"

"No, 't worry about it. We are all entitled of our opinions, aren't we?"

And the Oscar goes to Me!

"Still. I do apologize."

"It's all good."

"So. Where do you know Houjo from?" He asked, guiding me past the buffet and on. We were walking with no direction, it seemed.

Huh.

"High school. Do you know him?"

"I do. I worked with him once, he was a testimony on a case."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He can, uh... Get to you."

I tried to hide my smile, and he looked at me.

"Kind of annoying, isn't he?"

I couldn't hold the laughter.

"Well..."

"Come on. Tell me you don't think so." He was smiling.

"It would be very rude of me, Inuyasha. I _am _here as his date."

"That's what I don't get." He guided me and we turned left, entering a very dark corridor, with blue, cold neon lights on the floor and black reflective walls. "How did he manage to get you to be his date?"

"We're friends."

"Hmm. Is that all you are?"

I looked at him with a side smile, he gave me the same look.

"So where are we going? We passed the buffet like two hours ago."

"Oh" He looked back and kept walking. Looking back at me, his smile was positvely wicked. "I haven't noticed. We were having such a nice chat."

He caressed my hand that was resting on the crook of his arm.

"Would you give me the honor?" He asked suddenly when we got to the middle of a small space where people were dancing. Like, slow dancing to this pretty girl that was singing on the stage.

I took his hand and girl, I was suddenly feeling like a princess. The only thing missing was my crown, because I had the dress and _the _slippers. If Louboutins aren't royalty shoes, I don't know what is.

I consider myself a fairly good dancer. I mean, I do have a diploma I got from all the tango lessons I took after I watched Moulin Rouge (Jimmy took that class with me. And he wanted to compete in the Sectionals, Regionals and Nationals. Oh man. How did I not notice?).

But I had never - and I mean _never _- danced with pair that held me that way. With purpose, with firmness, almost as if he was trying to learn the ways of my body with his hands on my back only.

I was so his, on that moment.

I know, I know. "How easy you are, Kagome". Don't care.

He was going to drive me crazy.

"Well, on top of being incredibly beautiful and talented, you're a fantastic dancer."

"Oh, no. I'm no good at all..."

What? _What? _Just because he called me beautiful -

-_Incredibly_ beautiful -

- and talented, you think I should turn off the "charm"? Well, think again. Compliments doesn't mean he's into me, does it? I still have to work for it.

I mean, sure. He _does _have a great smile and this whole _thing _going on (I'd say "swagger", but you might imagine him with his pants down to his knees and those hats and diamond teeth, and that was NOT what was going on). And I TOTALLY felt his biceps pressing against me while we danced, and he POSITIVELY kept running the tip of his nose on my neck, only slightly, though, but he _did_.

But he would still go back to a White Stick after this, and I'm not up to being anybody's Mistress. I want the whole deal.

"I was only on a few dance classes, nothing major."

Which is totally a lie, because I got a trophy of best student and the diploma is framed somewhere in my vanity.

He just smiled and we kept dancing;

"Inuyasha! I cannot believe it! You, here? What are the odds?!"

Ayame suddenly interrupted us. She works with me, but I can't tell you what she does, because I don't know. I just know she's always there, but usually at the cafeteria or on her cigarette break. I have no idea what the hell is her job. What I do know is that she is not my biggest fan.

"Oh, hello." She suddenly pushed herself against him and kissed both his cheeks.

Bitch? You back the hell off.

"I'm good, thanks!" He didn't ask. "This is Bankotsu, my date for the evening. Did you see him on the runway? He was absolutely fantastic." She spoke, her green eyes shimmering.

Yeah, she was drunk.

"I had no idea you two knew each other!" She said, pointing from me to him. We had stopped dancing by now and were walking out o the dance floor.

"I met her three days ago. I almost sent her flying to the floor." He smiled.

Man. He just _loved _to tell this story, doesn't he? He might as well be telling them how was it that he proposed.

Oh... What a nice thought.

We chatted for a little while, like two minutes. Ayame then saw somebody else she knew, and waved goodbuy. Bankotsu's eyes lingered a little on me before he walked away.

"I think the big guy has his eye on you." Inuyasha commented, and we resumed our walk.

"Oh, no. He has his eye on evertyhing that moves and wears a skirt."

We ended up walking our way back to our group of friends. Sesshoumaru and Rin were gone from sight, as was Houjo. Probably running from Jakotsu, who was nearby talking to whoever. Only Miroku and Sango were where we left them.

"Can you stop? I danced with you already, quit whining." Sango was shooing Miroku away.

"Ah! Inuyasha! Tell her, mate! Tell her she should dance with me one more time!"

"Why would I do that? You probably would end up steping on her toes."

"You know that's a lie. Have you forgotten you talk to your prom king?"

He ignored the fact.

We sat down on some couch settings there were around. Inuyasha offered me the seat beside him.

"Where is the queen or Queerland?" He asked, and Miroku laughed at his joke.

"Oh, don't talk like that!" Sango scolded. "Jakotsu is adorable."

He unbuttoned his jacket and rested his arm on the back of the couch behind me. I may have had a principle of a stroke, but I managed to control it.

"You say that because you're not on the receiving end of one of his looks." Miroku chimed in.

"Besides, he keeps calling me 'Miroky'. I don't like it."

"Oh, but you are just so charming, Miroku. How in the world do you expect him to resist all your manliness self?"

He looked at me.

"I told you not to tease me, Kagome. You know me."

I just smiled.

"Hello."

I looked at my right, and saw Chiara standing there, already on her own clothes.

"Chiara, my flower!" Miroku got up and kissed her cheek.

"I'm leaving, just wanted to say hello, and thank you, Kagome!" The Italian blond smiled at me and I got up to hug her.

"You were fantastic, dear. Why are you leaving already? Not staying for the party?"

"No, I can't. I have a flight to London first thing tomorrow."

"Oh, that's right" Sango said. "The perfume campaign, right?"

"Yes. I have to be at the airport really early."

"Let me introduce you before you go." Miroku gestured to Inuyasha, who got up and smiled at her. "This is Inuyasha Taisho, my best friend and Sango's lawyer."

_And Kagome's man. _

Oh, I know, I know.

"Hello." She smiled and accepted the hand he offered her.

"It's a pleasure." Inuyasha said on a voice I never heard before, smiling all galant. "You were beautiful up there, congratulations."

Seriously, what is up with that voice? And that smile? It's all new to me.

It was like he was trying to woo her into his bed only by smiling at her.

The nerve!

"Really, did you all like it? Those heels were so high I was afraid I was walking like a robot."

"Oh, no, nonsense!" Miroku waved his hand, dismissing it. I noticed Sango was pouting slightly.

"I'm glad. But the dress really did help. Kagome is a genious. I was so comfortable dressed like that, I bet you couldn't tell. But I was. Very nice dress. I'm not exactly a size zero, so it's not always that I get to be so comfortable on runway dresses. I mean, sure, I'm not fat or anythng, but, you know, ..."

Chiara, even though is really nice, is also a bit narcissistic. You don't let her start talking about herlsef, or she won't stop anytime soon.

The boys seemed to be listening, though.

"But I do have to go." She said after like, twenty minutes of Chiara-centerd conversation with Inuyasha and Miroku.

The rest of the night went uneventful. We chated, we took pictures, we posed for pictures, we ate, we danced, we flirted (All of us. Sango end Miroku included. Sango had a few wine glasses on her, she was a bit more open to his compliments and smiles) and we laughed.

"I should ask for the car." I said when we got up. It was _late. _Like 4 A.M. There were still a few party rats, but not many.

"You drove here?" Inuyasha asked.

"No, no, I came in a company car."

"Then, please. Let me take you home."

I looked at him.

"Did _you _drive here?"

"Yeah, I came from Kikyou's house in Williamsburg."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly ask you to drive out of your way for me. It's no trouble, I'll just ask for the car, it'll be here in like a minu-"

He took my hand and tugged me towards the exit.

"Please. I insist."


	2. Chapter 2

_**"Oh, look.", **_**you said when you saw this update. **

**I hope it was a good surprise. I know it's not much - I **_**was **_**just****16, after all. But I have fun remembering and translating it for those of you who like to read it. **

**Thank you, for your reviews, and favorites and follows. I love the feedback, and I think I don't have to tell you that it is an incentive for me to keep posting. You ought to know by now how much a review is important to an author (even more so than a favorite or follow). So, drop me a word to let me know what you think. **

**This chapter is almost completely new. Only the first half of it is translated. The original was prety useless, so I just used to important parts and made up a whole new one. I hope it's good. I honestly can't tell. Sometimes I think you'll like it, sometimes I think you'll hate it. **

**Let me know which one is it. **

**Lots of love, **

**Nat'**

* * *

**The Best Guest: ****Ugh, these mistakes. I hate them so much. Sorry about all of them. So glad you liked it! Here's the second! Let me know what you think! XOX!**

**Guesty-guest3: ****Thank you so much for your review! It drives me absolutely mad when I read back and find stupid mistakes as the ones you pointed out. I'll try to pay attention, thanks for the warning. And you know the Maison Kagome works in, Maison T? The 'T' actually stands for Takahashi ;-) I prefered sticking to Taisho, to make the transition from Japan to the USA a tiny bit less brutal. Takahashi sounds way more oriental than Taisho, I think. Let me know what you think about this one! XOX!**

* * *

"Really, Inuyasha, you don't have to, I-"

"Nonsense. I'll take you, come on." He continued to drag me to the exit, and turned his head to look back. "Good night, Sango! See you, man."

They waved and Sango raised her brows to me.

I could sue him for kidnaping. But have I mentioned how much I like bossy men? I do.

"So." He started after giving his parking stub to the valet. "Where do you live?"

"Are you _sure _this is necessary? I'm not joking, I can get a car in like a minute."

He sighed and smiled, like he didn't even want to talk about it.

"Besides, Kikyou wasn't feeling well, she must be waiting for you at home."

I said that, but what I was really thinking is "Right, when we get there, you'll come upstairs and have another drink. And it is almost dawn now, so you should really just stay over. _And! _If it gets too cold, I can open a space in my bed for you. You know, human warmth and all."

But I'd be such a slut if I said that.

Anyway he just waved my worries away, took my hand when the car got there, opened the passenger door for me and used the voice he had used on Chiara:

"Just tell me where you live. I promise I won't bite you."

BUT I WANT YOU TO, YOU FOOL!

"Ok, fine." I smiled and got into the car - the most badass BMW you have ever seen.

The way to my place was fun. We already had a few drinks on us (yes, I know he shouldn't be driving, but shhh!), so we laughed of everything that was mildly funny.

The weird part was when he pulled over in front of my building.

He opened the door for me to step out and planted a kiss on my cheek right when Eri, my neighboor - that kinky one - was arriving, without the hot boyfriend.

"Good night." He told me, too casual for my taste. It wasn't a "Good night" full of meaning and hidden messages, it was just a plain old "I hope you sleep tight, but if you don't, I don't really care."

"You too. Thanks for the ride."

He smiled, got into the car and drove away.

Huh. What the hell?

"Who's the hunk?" Eri asked me on the elevator.

"Oh, him? No, nobody, just, you know."

"Are you fucking a stranger?"

She's like that, Eri. Her mind is always in the gutter.

"Oh, God, no! Can you stop?"

"Sorry. Explain!"

"He's my boss's lawyer-"

"You're fucking your boss's lawyer? Hot."

"Jesus Christ, Eri, can you let me talk?" He got in the elevator and I pressed 9, where we both live. "He's by boss's lawyer, like I said. And I kinda have a crush on him. And sometimes I think he has one on me too, you should see the way he kept looking at me tonight on the show. Only he has a fianceé, and she was there, so nothing happened, of course."

I sighed and she looked at me, bored.

"Is that it?"

"Uh... Yeah?"

"You're not fucking him?"

My turn to sigh and check my face on the elevator.

"No, Eri, I'm not fucking him."

"Well, that's just boring."

"Boring?!"

"Well, excuse me if I don't see the big deal on a bad high school drama that not even my 10 year old niece watches."

"You know, not everyone is like you. We actually don't just go jumping into bed with everyone we are attracted to."

"Well, everyone should! It's way more fun."

"Remind me to introduce you to Miroku."

"Is he hot?"

I opened the door to my apartament and she followed me inside.

"Don't you like to get to know people first? To exchange some sexy looks, some hipocritical conversation?"

"What do you mean, hipocritical?" She sat on my couch and combed her short hair with her fingers.

"Oh, you know. Those talks when both are just crazy to tear the clothes off each other, but you still keep it polite, keep the formal talk, like nothing is really happening?"

"Hmm. I suppose."

"You have to agree with me, it increases the tension. Which makes 'the business' a lot more hot and fun."

"Can you stop using codes? Just say 'sex'."

You see?

"What about you? How's the boyfriend?"

"Oh, kinda boring, actually. He's in Boston for a month, for business. So I'm on my own for a whole week now, three to go. I'm avoiding leaving the house, so I won't bump into a hot friend. Just in case, you know?"

It was five in the morning and she was just getting home. I chose not to point that out for her.

"I do." I looked on the mirror on my foyer and saw again just how pretty my dress was. No wonder Inuyasha kept stealing glances at me.

And then it hit me. Maybe it was just the dress.

Take Rin and Sesshoumary, for instance. They were so cute together. And all she used was her own sweetness, personality and natural charm to win him over, I'm sure. I had to go out of my way to make myself look hot so he could stare at my cleavage and spare some atention to me.

I'll never forget what Jimmy said when he broke up with me.

_"You're an extraordinary woman, Kagome. You have everything a man could want, and more."_

Well, where the hell _is _that man?

I was suddenly so mad at myself, when I remembered the way Sesshoumaru looked into her eyes, all loving. While I was flipping the shit out of my hair and twirling myself around just so his brother looked at me.

God. How ridiculous.

"Hey. Do you want to go grocery shopping with me tomorrow? You know I can't do that properly."

"Uh, sure, yeah. No problem."

"Alright, then. I'll go to bed, now, the sun is almost up. Bye bye." She walked out and closed the door behind her.

I just stood there, looking at myself in the mirror.

I don't want to just be a pretty girl in a dress.

Shaking my head, I got my phone from my purse, so I could Instagram a picture of the party when Eri came back, closed the door and leaned on it.

"Kagome, quick!" She whispered urgently.

"What, what happened?!"

"Your hot lawyer! He's on the hallway!"

"What?! Are you sure?"

"Well, if it's not him, it's a man who looks an awful lot like the guy who was kissing you downstairs."

"Oh my God!" I just had time to take my hands to my face wneh the doorbell rang.

"Kagome!" Eri whispered and tip toed away from the door. "What do I do?! I don't want to be here when you start fucking him!"

"Calm down!" I whispered back, looking at the door. I could see his shadow under it. "Go to the kitchen, when I open the door for him you get out through the back door."

Yeah, bitch, I have a kitchen with a back door in Manhattan. Suck it.

The doorbell rang again. Eri tip toed to the kitchen and smoothed my dress before opening the door.

His arm was supporting his weight on the door frame, and he smiled at me like he was apologizing.

"Hi." He kinda whispered at me.

"Hi... What are you doing here?" My surprise was genuine this time. I really thought he had left.

Oh, God. Why was he back?

"What? You didn't like to see me again so soon?"

"Oh, no! It's not that, don't be silly. I just... I thought you were gone."

"I was." He kept staring at me, right in the eyes. Nowhere near my dress. "But I forgot something." He took a step closer.

Fuck he was gonna kiss me oh God.

"I forgot that I don't have your phone number, so I had to come back and do it personaly."

Phone? He wanted to have phone sex? But he didn't have my phone, so he'd have to do it in person.

OH GOD HE CAME TO HAVE SEX!

"Do... what?"

"Invite you to my birthday party."

Oh. Bummer.

"Oh!"

"Yeah, I personally don't like this kind of stuff, but Kikyou insisted, so." He shrugged.

I smiled at him and he returned it.

"So. Can I count you'll be there?"

"Ah, yeah. Yes, sure. When is it?"

Why was he smirking like that? Like he knew something that I didn't?

"Friday, happy hour. It's just drinks and some food, really nothing fancy."

"Ok, sure, I'll be there."

"Great. Sango knows my address, but, just to be sure..." He took my phone from my hand and started typing something, that freaking smirk still on his lips. "There you go." He gave it back to me, and I saw he had added himself as a contact.

"Good night, then." He winked and walked back out.

I was looking at his information when he reached the elevator.

"Oh, and just so you know. If you don't show up, I'll come here personally to drag you there."

And then the elevator sealed him out.

Well.

What do you say to _that_?

I closed my door and walked towards the kicthen and my heart almost stopped beating and I almost died in panic.

There was someone holding a knife in my kitchen, in the dark.

Yes, NOW I realize it was Eri, who hadn't left like I told her to, but I was so distracted from all the Inuyasha thing that I had compleely forgotten she had ever been there.

She looked like that 'The Ring' girl, Samara.

"I heard everything! This is so exciting!" She waved the knife she was holding.

"Eri... You... God! Don't scare me like that!" I flipped the lights on.

"Scare you? Why would you be scared?"

"I thought you left!"

"Oh, no, I didn't."

"I can see that! Why the hell are you holding a knife?"

"I was about to get some of that apricot jam. Do you mind?"

"No, no, get the jam! Jesus!"

"I was totally gonna leave," she said while spreading jam on a piece of bread. "But I couldn't help but hear your conversation, because I was eavesdropping. He is _so _into you!"

"Do you think so?"

"Yes! Why would he come back here, at five in the morning, just to invite you to his birthday party? And all that talk about coming here and dragging you himself? Come on!"

"I don't know. He does have a fianceé."

"Didn't you say she's a plain bitch?"

"Yes, but-"

"So! Trust your assets, baby." She wiggled her hips at me. "I have to go night, Gome! I want to know what happens!"

And walked out, still holding a slice of bread with apricot jam on it.

I walked to my room with my phone still clutched in my hand.

_840 Park Ave._

Businesse are _great _for the Taisho family.

Suddenly, my phone started buzzing. Houjo, the caller ID told me.

Oh, no.

Voicemail it went.

("_Higurashi! I'm so sorry I vanished! I had an urgent call from work, had to leave. I could't find you to let you know. So, so sorry! You must be hating me. Can I take you to lunch tomorrow? Call me, ok? I'm sorry again! Bye."_)

Oh, Houjo. If only you knew I didn't even miss you...

I pluged my phone in the charger and walked to the bathroom for a shower. The last thing I needed to think right now was how _Houjo _ditched me at my own Fashion show.

I hope Inuyasha doesn't realize that either.

.:.

I woke up the next day to the incessant noise of my phone. I opened my eyes, wishing the device would disappear.

You know, I could totally be an interior designer if I wanted to.

My bedroom was the most perfect place to wake up in a Sunday morning. I positioned my bed in a way the morning light of the sun wouldn't hit my face when I woke up. The white and salmon courtins blocked the rays without canceling them, leaving the room with the perfect amount of brightness for someone to wake up, and drift back to sleep. And the AC spilling chilled air made my matress, pillows and duvet feel like the most perfect, soft, warm and good smelling surfaces on Earth.

I was in Heaven.

Except for the damned iPhone screaming on my bedside table. You know how horrible it is to stretch your arm out of your covers when you are so snuggly and warm.

"Hello?" I groaned.

_"Morning, sunshine!"_

"Sango... What time is it?"

_"Almost nine. Did I wake you up?"_

"It's... Sunday. Why are you calling me so early?"

_"I was going to call you for a jog at the Park. You're not up for it?"_

"A jog, what? No! Can't we do it tomorrow?"

_"Hmm. Are you hung over?"_

"Not exactly, but I did went to bed after 5 AM."

_"I thought you would feel better in the morning sun; _

"My duvet is doing a pretty good job."

_"Well, ok then. But I think it would would be interested in what I have to say."_

"What do you have to say?"

_"Miroku just texted me. He's going to have lunch with Inuyasha, asked if we wanted to join them."_

I was wide awake now.

"Really?"

_"I'm telling you.I casually asked if Kikyou was going to be there,because he knows I don't like her. He said not to worry, that it was going to be just them, and you and me, if we wanted."_

I took a deep breath. What should I do?

Then I remembered looking at myself in the mirror yesterday and feeling like crap. A hot crap, because that dress was incredible.

"You know what? Tell him I won't be able to make it, that I already have lunch plans."

_"You do?"_

"I do now."

_"I don't get it._"

"I already saw him yesterday, Sango. And I think I made it pretty clear that I'm interested. I can't grab all the invitations he throws at me. I have to be at least a little difficult, don't you think?"

_"When you put it like that, yes. I'll tell him no, then. And Kohaku was asking me if we could see each other today anyway. Maybe we'll have lunch with my parents or something."_

"Great. Now tell me, did Miroku happen to tell you where was he going to have lunch?"

_"At The Pierre. Why?"_

"Well..."

_"Oh. Full of plots, I see!" _She laughed.

Looks like Houjo was getting his lunch after all.

.:.

After the call from Sango, I turned off the AC and lounged in my bed until the room wasn't cold anymore.

After that, I got up, drank some tea for breakfast, read a little bit. Quiet mornings are lovely.

By noon, I was dressed for my lunch with Houjo (who had replyed my text more than eager to meet me, oh, I don't know, at The Pierre. _"Wherever you want, Higurashi."_). I was wearing the prettiest nude Manolo shoes, a navy blue Calvin Klein summer dress that had a belt on the waist, that didn't let it be boxy. My Louis Vuitton completed the look. My hair was braided, thrown over one shoulder. My lips were only slightly red.

I got out of the cab in front of the beautiful hotel by 1 P.M. Walking in, the hostess directed me to the table where Houjo had been waiting for me.

Looking around, I saw no signs of Inuyasha or Miroku.

I knew I had a chance not to meet them at all, but it was a risk I was willing to take. If I didn't, I didn't. Let him miss me a little bit.

It was a pleasant lunch. After I assured Houjo that I didn't hate him for leaving me alone at the party, he relaxed and we were able to talk throughout our meal. We remembered our high school years, and had a few laughs remembering how silly and different we were back then.

He paid the bill, even under my protests.

"Please, it's the least I can do after yesterday." And then he helped me out of my chair and offered me his arm so we could walk out of the restaurant.

See? He _is _a gentleman. Maybe I should just slap myself on the face and accept his attempts to make me his girlfriend. I know he can be boring, but I'm not exactly shooing men with a stick to have the luxury of being so picky.

We were walking through the lobby to get a cab, my heels were clicking on the marble floor when my plans payed off.

"My sunflower, how nice seeing you here!" Miroku came swaggering towards us and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh, hi!" I faked surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I just had lunch. I actually asked Sango to invite you, she told me you had plans. Houjo, hey man."

"Hello."

"Hey mate, look who's here!" He said to Inuyasha, that only now appeared on the lobby.

He raised his head and smiled, like he really didn't expect to see me.

"Kagome, hey!"

Oh, how sweet. He was really surprised.

And, for once, I wasn't dressed like I was some kind of dominatix in disguise in his presence. I was testing the Rin Way.

Seemed to be working.

"How come we didn't see you guys in there? We just finished having lunch too." Houjo asked, still holding my hand on his arm, which I made no effort to let go of.

And I noticed a certain pair of golden eyes watching my hand on his elbow.

"We were by the bar." Miroku explained. "Let's call Sango! We can all go somewhere! There's this photography showing on a gallery in Brooklyn I've been meaning to go. How about that?"

I smiled, all confused, because he was talking really fast, and Houjo was looking at me with slight puppy eyes and Inuyasha was still analizing our body lenguage.

"Sango!" He said, already on the phone. "You'll never believe this! I just ran into Kagome and Houjo at the Pierre! What are the chances?" He gave some time for her to respond, in which I smiled reassuringly to Houjo, just to ruffle some feathers.

"Yeah, listen! Are you free? Can you meet us in Brooklyn? We're all going to that photography showing I told you about... Uh, yeah... Ok, hold on." He passed me the phone. "She wants to speak with you."

I got the device.

"Hey."

_"Hi. Say 'I did!' if you're okay with this, and 'I know, right?' if you're not."_

"What?"

_"It's a code, Kagome._"

"Oh! Yeah, I did!"

_"Ok. I'll see you in Brooklyn then. How are you dressed?"_

"Uh, the CK navy sun, those 'Nolos you have too, LV, MAC Lady Bug." I hoped it was coded enough for the boys not to understand I was describing my outfit.

_"Got it, thanks. See you there."_

I passed the phone back to Miroku.

"So, are we all game? Yes?"

I smiled, Houjo was silent. And Inuyasha said "Sure."

"Awesome!"

So we walked out of the hotel, my arm still firmly linked with Houjo's, and Miroku hailed us two cabs, and gave the adress to our driver before walking to his own.

"Are you ok with this?" Houjo asked me when we were alone in the car.

"Yeah, sure. Why, aren't you?"

"Well" he shrugged. "It isn't what I had in mind, but I suppose it will be fun."

I smiled. Poor thing, he was trying so hard to make me have fun alone with him.

It was just not working. It should be, but it wasn't.

I took his hand and smiled.

"We could do something else if you're not up for it."

He squeezed my fingers and smiled back.

"No, don't worry. A photo showing should be fun. Maybe we'll go grab a coffee later, before I drop you home?"

"Absolutely."

I feel bad for not liking him. I mean, I like him, but I don't _like _him, you know.

Figures. The one guy that shows interest in me after this dry spell from hell, the one who is not just interested in sex (I don't even know if he _is _interested is sex at all, to tell you the truth), is the one that does nothing for me. Because that would be too easy, wouldn't it.

Damn.

We got to Brooklyn rather fast. Houjo helped me off the cab after I scolded him for not letting me pay.

"A lady should not have to pay for a cab fee if she is in the company of a gentleman."

I don't know if that's polite or sexist.

"Do you think Sango is about to arrive?" Miroku was so happy that we all looked at him like we didn't understand.

"Well, I think she would need some time to get ready." I said.

"But maybe she's already on her way here! I'll call her." And got his phone from his pocket.

"No, no, don't rush her. She hates being rushed." I reminded him.

"That's true. So we should go in!"

Why was he so excited?

I chuckled and got Houjo's arm again. And I could swear Iuyasha was sulking by now.

It wasn't a fancy gallery. It belonged to two brothers who had just opened it. Of course, said brothers were already rich, and this gallery was more like a project on the side, just to make even more money. The photographer who had his work on show, however, was a friend of Miroku's and was very very new to the whole scene. He had quit his job as a hotel manager to become a full time photographer.

Risky thing to do. Especially if you still have to pay rent in Manhattan.

His work was nice, though. Once we got in, there were waiters offering us Mimosas and little snacks (that were _delicious, _by the way. I had to stop myself from getting like five at a time. Yum).

His photos were from all the trips he had made while still working at the hotel. Different locations and people of different cultures. Very interesting.

Houjo let go of my arm for a moment to go to the bathroom, and soon another voice said next to me.

"You are impossible, did you know that?"

Looking at my right, Sango was standing by my side, Mimosa in hand. She was beautiful in a pair of jeans that hugged her legs like they were in love with it, a white tee, black blazer jacket and bright yellow pumps. Very casual chic.

"What do you mean?"

"'Oh, no Sango, I'll play hard to get', and suddenly I'm hailing a cab to get to an art gallery in Brooklyn to meet you and Inuyasha."

"And Miroku and Houjo. And that was all Miroku, not me. I was ready to say goodbye and let Houjo walk me home."

"Well, it seems your plan is working. Inuyasha does not look like he's happy all alone over there."

"Have you talked to the guys already?"

"No, I just got here."

We started walking around, and Miroku almost exploded with excitement when he saw Sango.

"You're here! That's great!"

And planted a peck on her lips, real quick, before she could stop him.

She shot him flames of dangerous fire through her eyes.

"You look wonderful."

Inuyasha walked in and gave her a kiss on the temples.

"Hey."

"Hi there. Where's the Mrs.?"

If I coud hit Sango with one of those silver platers, I would.

"Humpf. Sulking at home, with her friends shopping, I don't know. Don't care." He shrugged and I had to control my face muscles not to explode in a grin the size of the Brooklyn Bridge. "How do you like the, uh... Photos?" He asked me.

"I like it." I said, looking around. "Makes me want to drop everything and just travel everywhere."

"We should do that!" Miroku snapped his fingers.

"Are you high, or something? What is _with _you?" Inuyasha asked.

"I don't know. I drank some red bull earlier." He smiled.

"What? You know you're not supposed to drink energetics!" Inuyasha punched him the arm.

"Ouch, man! I didn't drink _energetics, _okay? It was mixed in my drink back at the hotel."

"God." Inuyasha looked at me and Sango, all irritated. "He's gonna be a pain in the ass for a while."

"He can't drink energetics?" I asked.

"I can't! No, no." He answered, still smiling like a maniac. I wanted to laugh.

"No, he can't. You should see the first time he drank a Red Bull can. He was bouncing around for almost two days. He's very sensitive to the stuff."

"It was awful!" His smile didn't make it sound awful. "Your hair is very pretty, Kagome."

"Thank you." I couldn't help the chuckle that left me.

"I'm so happy we are all here, looking at art. Look at us. We are so interesting." He turned around and stared at the photography of a lady in front of the Kremlin, in Moscow. "I think I need some water, or something."

Inuyasha sighed and asked the waiter for a tall glass of iced water.

"Are you ok?" I asked, patting him on the back. He turned his head to me and smiled.

"I like you so much."

"I like you too, Miroku. How about we sit down for a while?"

"You're really pretty. Like, really. Isn't she pretty?" He looked at Inuyasha, who smiled and started pulling him to a bench.

"She is very pretty, mate. Sit down a bit."

"And you. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life." He took Sango's hand, who sighed and rolled her eyes. "I love your skin."

"My skin?"

"Yeah. Your skin is really, _really fucking _nice." He caressed the hand that was still between his.

I exchanged a look with Inuyasha, and he raised his brows at me.

Houjo walked in then.

"Sango, hi! You're here!"

"She's sitting next to me, though. You go sit over there." Miroku tugged her arm closer to him and pointed to a chair across from us.

Houjo looked at me, confused.

"He's had some energetic, he's not supposed to drink that."

"Oh." He looked at Miroku's face and bent over. "Can you open your eyes wide for me, please?"

Miroku opened his eyes very wide and looked into Houjo's, and his face was so funny I had to turn my head so he wouldn't see me laughing.

"His heart is really accelerated." He said, after feeling Miroku's pulse on his wrist. "He may be allergic. How much did he have?"

"He had one drink at lunch, it was mixed." Inuyasha told him.

"Then it wasn't much. It should wear off fine. Does he get like that when he drinks coffe or eats chocolate?"

"No."

"Then it's something in the energetic that doesn't agree with him." He patted Miroku on the shoulder. "He'll be fine."

"Yes, I will. Let's go to Russia. We could get one of those funny fur hats." He squeezed Sango's hand and looked at Inuyasha. "Remember when we went to Russia, back in college? Worst Spring Break ever."

"Yeah."

"_Zero _chicks with their shirts off."

"But we're not going to Russia right now, man. Here's your water."

He drank it and I noticed Sango wasn't trying to pull her hand from his.

"If you don't feel better in half an hour, we'll do a quick run to my office, okay?" Houjo asked him. "I can put him in an IV with saline, flush it right out." He told the rest of us.

"Thanks." I touched his arm and he smiled at me.

"Yeah, I don't think that'll be necessary, _Doc_. You'll be better in no time, won't you buddy?" Inuyasha said.

Sango looked at me and concealed a smile.

"I will." He finished his water and got up. "So, Russia?"

.:.

He _wasn't_ better in no time.

After an hour of huge plans to go to Russia - and then Saint Tropez, because he knows Sango loves it there -, telling me how beautiful Sango and her skin are, he started getting a little red on the neck and face.

So we rushed with him to the hospital where Houjo works. The boys went all in one cab, since we figured Houjo should probably keep and eye on him, and Sango went with me.

When we got there, Inuyasha had the same expression I usually have when I spend too much time with Houjo. Miroku was chating away about nice cab drivers.

"Dr. Aki, hello! Aren't you off today?"

"Hello, Danna. Yes, I am, but my friend had a little emergency."

We walked to his office and he hooked Houjo up in an IV to help flush everything out.

"So" He said, writing a prescription on his desk. He had his white lab coat on, and his esthetoscope around his neck, he had used to to hear Mirku's heart (which he, Miroku, said it was singing in French, and winked at Sango). He was really looking like a doctor now. Which _should _make me at least a tiny bit attracted to him, but it didn't. I tried, I really did. Nothing. "I'll run some exams, to make sure he's really ok, and then he can go. I suggest he goes home, gets some rest, maybe drink some tea, and stear clear of Red Bull for a while.

"You got it." Miroku said from his chair, the IV still hooked on his arm.

"But I'm prescribing some meds, in case he has an allergic reaction to the chemicals on the drink he had, and for his stomach, he can get some nausea from the IV. It probably won't be necessary, but I like to be sure."

He tore the paper from his pad and handed it to Inuyasha.

"Let's go have you checked out." He got up and so did Miroku.

"I can go get his meds." Sango offered.

"No! Please stay here with me? She can go with me, can't she, Houjo? I hate MRI's."

"You're not gonna get even near an MR-"

"I hate MRI's Sango, please go with me to hold my hand, please please."

"I can go." Inyasha looked at the prescription. "Come with me, Kagome."

We all looked at him, wondering why in the world I should go with him.

I think I was the only one who was happy about the invitation.

"You'd be alone waiting for him, anyway. Mind as well help me find the meds. Come on."

He opened the door and gestured for me to walk out.

I smiled at the three of them and walked out.

There was a drug store one block away from the hospital, so we just walked.

"So. Another date, huh?" Inuyasha said when we were out of the hospital.

I looked at him and smiled, all innocent.

"Lunch? Not dinner?"

"What's wrong with lunch?"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just saying." The "WALK" light went on and he started walking. "If it were me, I'd take you to dinner. Lunch is too innocent."

Motherf-. Huh.

"Well, I like to have lunch. It gives us the whole day to spend together after, and then maybe have dinner. Ever thought of that?" I challenged him and that loopsided grin graced me again.

"Sure. When my cousins are in town, I take them to all kind of activities after lunch. Of course, I'm not trying to _date _any of my cousins, but hey. Every man has his moves. I'm not judging."

"Sounds a lot like you are, though."

He opened the drug store door for me. I walked in and he came after me.

"You're the one who told me he was annoying last night."

"I did no such thing!" I pointed out, while throwing a Maybelline mascara on my basket I had gotten at the door. I was there, mind as well enjoy the trip. "You said that. I didn't."

"You laughed! Laughter means agreement."

"No it doesn't!"

"Yes it does, Kagome. Don't deny it."

I need a new hair brush. Into the basket you go.

"How was your lunch, by the way?"

"It was fine, thank you very much."

"Did he even pay for it?"

"Yes, he did! He's a gentleman. I didn't want him to, though."

"No?"

"No. I'm perfectly capable of paying for my own lunch. And I don't find this rule fair. Why does the guy have to pay for the woman's lunch, anyway? That's silly."

"I wish more women thought like you. It would save me a lot of money."

"I thought you were engaged. What are you doing taking women to lunch anyway?"

_'Do you want a whiter smile?'_. Yes I do, Oral B. Basket.

He chuckled and looked at the prescription.

"I don't think any of this stuff requires a prescription, we can find it in the aisles." He walked to where all the medicines where and I walked behind him, stopping to get two sets of these fabulous fake lashes, one for me, one for Sango.

"Huh. These are all kids medicines."

"He did say it was a 'just in case' prescription."

"It says '3 to 10 years old' in the box."

I looked at the bottle. There were two blond boys smiling with their mom. Apple flavored.

"Don't get the apple one, his tongue will be green. Get the grape. And trust him, he's a doctor."

"Oh, yeah. A _doctor._ The _doctor_ can't even get you to a proper dinner date." He tossed the bottle in my basket and walked.

"Will you let go of the 'lunch date' thing? It's a perfectly sunny day, why shouldn't we have a nice lunch? Can you get that scoulpting mousse for me? I can't reach."

"Because-" He reached easily up and got the mousse.

"Not this one! The purple one!" He looked over and got the right bottle.

"Because. If he was interesting in _closing_, he would wine and dine you, that's why."

I made a fake shocked face.

"Well, Mr. Taisho! What do you take me for? I never."

"Oh, come on. A good dinner, good bottle of wine, walking home and talking about how nice the night is... Isn't is better than a lousy lunch date where there are teenagers everywhere with their iPads and stuff?"

I looked at him, trying to come up with an answer.

He _did _have a point.

"Next thing you know, he'll be taking you to Burger King."

"He will not take me to Burger King, Inuyasha."

"You just wait."

I turned my back on him and started to walk to another aisle.

"Do you not like burgers?" I asked, browsing the new Revlon mousse foundations.

"I do." He said, leaning on the counter by my side. "_After _I closed."

I looked at him, almost trully outraged, but mostly wanting to laugh.

"That's just... Crude."

"Yeah? You never had a burger after sex?"

"That is not the point! Why are we even talking about burgers anyway?" I got the foundation, tossed it in my basket along with a blush and an eyeliner and a set of neutral eye-shadows and advanced to the aisle where they have the La Roche Posay products.

"Because, Miss Higurashi, that's where he'll take you on your next date. He'll think it's fun, and that it will make you more comfortable with each other."

"Ok, fine." I got my thermal water and looked at him. He was really close to me, smirking. "What makes you think it _won't_ be after sexburgers?" I lowered my voice on the 'after sex' part.

"Because it will be noon." He got even closer. "He'll call you on his break and ask if you want to meet him for lunch."

"How can you possibly know that?"

"It's a move, Kagome."

"Well, it's a shitty one."

Hand cream. My hands have been _so _dry lately. And some shampoo and conditioner because they said they would fix my dry hair. And La Roche doesn't lie.

"I know!" He walked after me when I started to walk again, getting the prescription from his hand, to see if there was anything else we needed for Miroku. "But it's the type of move he goes for. He thinks it's boyish."

"I doubt it." I got a few OPI nail polishes - like six or seven - and threw them on the basket, then handed it to him, because it was getting heavy.

"Well, believe it." We got to the cashier and the lady started scaning my products. "You should dump him before he tries to take you to one of those amusement parks in Rhode Island."

Shit. Houjo had mentioned these parks at lunch, when we remembered when we cut classes in high scool and got the subway there with our friends.

I didn't open that information to Inuyasha, of course. Instead, I just shook my head and threw a Women's Health magazine with Olivia Wilde and her amazing tummy on the cover and a Carmex soothing lip balm on the counter.

"Your total is 83 dollars and 60 cents." The lady told me.

"What?" Inuyasha looked at the screen that had the list of my products while I got my wallet. "How did you manage to spend 83 dollars in ten minutes?"

I shrugged and gave my card to the lady. She was Indian! How nice!

"I need this stuff."

He paid for Miroku's children's medicines and we walked back to the hospital, stopping in a café to get a caramel latte with soy milk for me and a black coffee for Inuyasha. We spent twenty more minutes there, and walked out with a green tea for Miroku (which Inuyasha protested to, but I reminded him that it Houjo had said he should drink tea. He rolled his eyes) and a hot chocolate for Sango. She doesn't drink coffee.

When we got back to the hospital, Miroku was lying on three reception chairs, resting his head on sango's lap.

"Hey! What did the exams said?" I asked, handing them their drinks. Inuyasha was holding my Duane Reed bag.

"He's fine." Houjo said, appearing from a corridor. "His exams came clean, no big damage, it was just a mild allergic reaction. No energetics for you, buddy."

"I know that." Miroku said, pinching the bridge of his nose, holding his tea, still resting on Sango's legs. He was back from his high, finally.

"We should get him home." Sango said, trying to make him sit up.

"Higurashi." Houjo turned to me and lowered his voice. "Turns out I have a patient. She's eight months along, but her babies are kicking a lot. I think I'll be delivering twins tonight.

He an obstetrician. Didn't I tell you guys that?

"I'm sorry to bail on you again. I can stop by your place and take you for a bite later. How about a Subway?

Inuyasha started coffing.

"Hey! I'm the sick one! Quit making a scene." Miroku complained.

"Sure, ok, don't worry. Go deliver your babies."

"They're not mine! I'm just her doctor." He joked.

"That's funny." Inuyasha said, completelly serious.

"This tea is fucking horrible, man."

Houjo smiled at me, leaned in and gave me a peck on the cheek.

On the freaking cheek.

Yeah, there's no hope for him.

"Buy, guys. You sir, stay away from caffeine for a while, ok?"

"Ok, Doc. Thanks for saving my life and the MRI and everything."

"I didn't save your life and you didn't get an MRI. Take care. Bye, Higurashi."

He walked away and we turned to get out of the hospital.

Inuyasha looked at me with the smug-est face on the planet.

"Oh, shut up."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, you guys. **

**Here's another chapter for you. **

**The strangest thing is happening. I'm getting all these favorite/follow notifications. Which is great, yay, but **_**come on, you guys. **_**Are you really gonna make me beg here? Just a lousy review. It won't hurt you. I promise. **

**For those of you who did review: you have my heart. **

**I'm still pretty insecure about posting this. I can see, when I'm translating it, how juvenile I was, and, as a consequence, my narrative. So, so... Childish. **

**But I'm hoping to give the story a little maturity as I translate it. **

**So your comments are GREATELY appreciated. **

**This is a short one. But the next one is ready, so. Have fun.**

**XOX, **

**Nat'**

* * *

I looked at my watch, it was almost 7 P.M. People were already collecting their stuff to go home.

Sango walked in the big studio where I was drafting a ball gown. Drafting with fabric.

"Hey. Are you almost done? We should go soon."

"Go where?"

"Inuyasha's birthday. He did invite you, didn't he?"

"Hmm." I turned back around to readjust the fabric on the enormous skirt. "He did. But I don't think I'm going."

She looked at me, surprised.

"What do you mean? He said he really wants you to be there. Why aren't you going? I thought this would be perfect for your plans." She sat down on the stool beside mine.

"Oh, I don't know about my 'plans' anymore. Besides, The Stick is gonna be there, they're gonna be all lovey-dovey, I'll get an urge to vomit on her JC Penny's heels. So it's best you just tell him that I had a ton of stuff to do at work, that I couldn't make it, that I said "Happy Birthday" and sent my regards."

She made a face like she was doubting if she should mark "A" or "B" on a math test.

"Are you sure?"

"I am, positive."

"Well then." She readjusted her Birkin on her arm. I was still lusting after that purse. "Ok. We're off to the party, then."

"Who's we?"

"Miroku and I."

"_Really?!" _I smiled at her, all ironic.

"Yes, but take your mind out of the gutter. Are you going right home?"

"No, I still have some... Stuff, to look in here."

"Yeah, what _is _that?" She looked at the almost dress I had put together around the mannequin.

"It's a dress. It's not ready yet."

"Maybe you'd like to draw it first? On a paper? Right now it looks like something a Disney princess would wear, and not the cool ones. The ones who wear those puffy sleeves."

"You know what, I'm just tossing ideas here! Go to your party!" I shooed her.

"It looks horrible, Kagome."

"Go! Miroku awaits you! Get out of here."

"Ok, fine. But just, don't let anybody else see this. I'll burn it before any model can try it on. Bye."

"Bye. Have fun."

She walked out and I came back to my "dress".

It did look horrible. So I un-pinned the fabrics and sat down to draw something.

.:.

By 9 P.M. I was back in my office, and my desk was littered with half finished croquis, pieces of fabric, half eaten granola bars and my phone buzzing occasionally - I've been texting my brother, who was asking me for tips in what to buy for his girlfriend (who is a hyppie that doesn't like to comb her hair, so I don't know).

The next text was a picture of a Cosmopolitan Sango sent me, with the words _'Are you sure you don't want to come?'_

After I texted _'Yes. Go get drunk.'_, I dropped the phone again, sighed and supported my face on my hands.

That had been bothering me the whole week.

I mean. Iuyasha could send me all the dirty looks he wanted, all the lines and all the smiles. At the end of the day, he was coming back home to her, not me.

I don't blame him. She's his fiancee, they're getting married. He asked her to marry him, gave her a huge block of diamond to wear on her finger. He must love her. I know she's a boring White Stick with an awful sense of fashion and manners, who likes to whine and insult people, but that's me. Maybe he digs this kind of stuff. Who am I to get in the middle of that?

If I did, I was the one getting hurt, for sure.

So I'll just suck it up, hold my head high and find someone who likes me enough to give _me _one of those diamonds (it was so big, guys. I can't stop thinking about it), just like I am.

Who cares that I want _him, _specifically?

It's not just because he is the hottest, sexiest man I have ever met (not counting Robert Downey Jr. Nobody is hotter and sexier than Robert Downey Jr.). He's a real man! He knows what he wants and gets it! He's charming, polite, funny, a bit, easy to talk to.

Oh, I don't know. He has a natural charm that got to me. I feel at ease when I'm around him.

Anyway. I should get back to work.

.:.

After a good hour in complete silence, just looking at fabrics and redoing the same drawings over and over again, my door opened. And who was there, holding the knob?

The man himself.

I looked at him, surprised, while he just looked at me like I was a kid who had broken a vase or something.

"Inuyasha! What are you-"

"Remember when I told you, back at your place, that I'd come and pick you up if you didn't show up?"

I smiled, a bit embarrassed. Remember? I had naughty dreams about it.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I really wish I could have gone, but I have a lot of work left, so-"

"Kagome. It's Friday. There's nobody here, except the night guard."

"Yes, I know. But I fell behind on-"

"No, I don't care. Come on, I'm taking you back to the "party"." He made the quotation marks with his fingers and held out his hand so I could take it.

I just sat there on my chair, still holding some papers.

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry, really, but I-"

"God, you are so stubborn."

He walked to me, made me drop the papers and pushed me up and to the door. But I dug my heels (that I had put back on when he opened the door) on the floor.

"Inuyasha. I'm serious. I can't get out now. I have a lot of work to do."

He turned to me.

"You promised, remember?"

"I do. And I am, really sorr-"

"And I made it clear that I'd come and get you in case you didn't show up."

"I remember. But listen-"

"So why are we even having this discussion? Let's go."

"Please try to understand. I really am all behind on a bunch of stuff, I can't afford to not to this right now. I really feel very sorry."

Oh, how I wanted to just drop everything and go with him wherever the hell he wanted to take me to.

"You have your mind made up, don't you?"

I smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, please. Don't be sorry.I'll just have to give you your gift here."

Huh?

"My what?"

"I have a gift for you."

"A gift? It's your birthday, Inuyasha. Why do you have a gift for me?"

"I don't know. I felt like it. Hold on."

He walked out and came back after a few moments, with a bottle of wine on his hand.

"I hope you like Petrus."

Petrus. Petrus! He was giving me a bottle of the most expensive, delicious wine I've ever had the pleasure of tasting!

(I tasted it in Fance, when Jimmy proposed to me. He ordered a bottle and told me I was the most beautiful woman in the world. After I said yes to his proposal and his ring, we went back to the hotel and spent the better part of the weekend in there, doing grown up stuff. That was before Jimmy figured out he likes boys. Which it wasn't a problem for me, you see. He knows how to, uh... Well. You know.

_("He knows how to fuck a woman, Kagome. Just say it, you prude."_ Was what Eri said when I told her.)

It was magical.

"Oh, Inuyasha. You're giving me..."

"As a gift. Yes. I know you like wine."

"Ok. Thank you, very much, but I can't accept it."

"Of course you can. I want you to."

This bottle of wine costs like two thousand dollars, people!

"No, you don't understand. I really can't, this is too much!"

"If you're worried about me spending money on you, don't. I had this on my cellar for a while now. I just saw it today and thought I might give it to you. Miroku told me you're a wine kind of girl." He winked.

I didn't know what to do. Really. I just stood there, looking from the bottle he had made me grab to him, and back to the bottle and then him again.

"Are you ok, Kagome? Are you worried about something?"

I looked at him. 'Yes, Inuyasha. I'm worried, because I'm falling in love with a man that is about to get married.'

"No, no, I'm fine."

He walked to me and lifted my chin so I could look in his eyes.

"What is it? There's something, I can tell."

"No, I'm fine, honest!" I smiled and took his hand from my chin.

"I'll believe you this time."

I was starting to get nervous, and my throat was closing and I was about to cry.

Except I _wasn't. _Not in front on him!

"Oh! I almost forgot! _Your _gift." I turned so I could get my purse. "I was going to ask Sango to take it, but it slipped my mind."

I was with my hand on the strap when he held my waist and pulled me back around. I landed like two inches away from his face.

"You don't have to. I already know what I want for my birthday."

Damn. It was suddenly very quiet, except for my heart that started to thump inside my chest and my brain, that started screaming.

"You do?"

Huh? What Stick? I don't know anybody named White Stick. Shut up you.

"I do." He whispered and smiled all evil. Then he leaned in and _Oh Lord what is happening? Fiancee big ring wedding not yours get away he smells so good I love his hand on my waist he's breathing on my neck Jesus save me help me Iron Man please anyone._

"And what is it?" I managed to say without choking out.

His hand sneaked itself inside my blazer and I shivered all the way down to my toes.

"Can't you tell?" He said in my ear and then held my face again, right before he bit my lower lip, like he was trying to control himself.

_Where the hell are you with your hammer when I need you, Thor?! _

The hand that wasn't still holding my face went to my hand, took the bottle of wine from me, put it on the desk, and then he was kissing me like he was fucking _thirsty _and I was a tall glass of iced water. A glass of water he lusted after.

All coherent though vanished from my brain, and all I heard was screaming. Like real screaming. Only it was inside my head and my body was extra warm and shivers were running up and down, Nascar fast.

I still tried to play coy and push him on his chest slightly, but he only held me tighter with his damn firm, big bicep and I ended up with my one of my legs between his

I almost screamed for real when he left my lips, but the feeling of his teeth on my neck made me shut up.

This part is a bit difficult to narrate, so pay attention.

Imagine a girl, all cute, dressed up in her Chanel suit, trying to get some support on a desk that has all kinds of crap on top of it, at the same time a man who might as well be from Asgard, so hot he is, is trying to drive her crazy with bites and nibbles and kisses down her neck and her lips, while holding her by the waist and pulling her leg towards his hip, but her skirt was designed to control such impulses (it wasn't) so it won't budge, so he proceeds to push it up with his fingers. And her brains is still screaming like that lady from _Psycho_, and her body temperature was broken, going from New York in August to New York in January in seconds.

Did you get the picture?

Only nothing is perfect, so my phone started ringing.

I was so proud of myself when the hand that was holding my leg let go and flew to the desk, looking for the screeching phone, and he made a noise like Alcide does sometimes in True Blood when he's mad. That meant he was having fun, right?

But I'm super responsible, and my head was starting to spin from all the kissing and all the screaming that only I was hearing. So, drawing strength from the very depths of hell, I pushed him away and looked at my desk.

"I should get this."

I managed to turn away from him, to which he pressed himself to my back and attacked my neck and turned me back around and bit my ear and my lip and moaned in my mouth and just kissed the will power out of me.

"So get it." He teased me, hands on my waist, pressing me against him.

Like, _against _him.

He knew I wouldn't if he kept doing that. He was just trying to dominate me, or whatever. And as much as I like to be dominated once in a while, I do not like to be thought as predictable. I really don't. So, even if all my body cells screamed at me not to let go o him or they would make me jump from the top of the Empire State Building, I pushed his chest away from me and walked to the other side of the table.

He looked at me like he was _loving _the game.

"Hello?" I said on the phone.

_"Higurashi, hey!" _

OH GOD, Houjo! What the fuck do you waaaaaant leave me alooooone!

"Uh, yeah, hi."

_"Where are you? Are you up for some dinner?"_

Inuyasha followed me and pressed me against him again and proceeded to do things with his lips and teeth on my neck.

_"Are you still on your office? I can pick you up, we could go to a Benihana, or something."_

"The Doc wants to have some sushi." Inuyasha whispered on my neck and held my chin again, so he could kiss me.

"I'm, uh..." I said, when I managed to untangle my lips from his "I'm still working, Houjo, I'm sorry, I had dinner already."

"Hang up the phone, Kagome." He commanded in my ear.

He really did, command me.

_"Well, maybe tomorrow then. What do you say?" _

"Hang up the fucking phone, Kagome."

I'm sorry, I'm only human. The phone slipped from my hand. He took it before it fell to the ground, hit 'End' and tossed it back on the desk, devouring my mouth again and _Seriously, Avengers, save me. _

Maybe it was the whole year I spent without being kissed, maybe it was my mind playing tricks, but I don't think I've ever been kissed like that, ever before. It was so intense, so possessive. But it wasn't just lust, it was like he was savoring me, trying to imprint me to him. I thought I was going to die breathless, right then and there.

He kissed like I had imagined he did, only better.

Oh, God, have I told you about his hands? The most amazing hands that had ever touched me. Maybe even better than Gerard Butler's. I had only felt _those _on the small of my back, once, when I met him at a Premiere and we took a few photos, but still.

Inuyasha's were better. So strong and big and naughty.

The phone started ringing again.

Only it wasn't mine, it was his.

"_Motherfucker goddamn son of a fucking bitch_." he cursed, and I had to laugh. A bit out of his frustration, a bit out of smugness, a bit out of agreement and relief.

I was all confused.

He turned it off and touched my forehead with his. We were both breathing hard.

"So. What is it your want for your birthday?" I asked.

He chucked, and caressed my face, pecking me on the lips again.

"Come on, let me down." I tapped his arm so he would let me down from the desk.

Instead, mind you, he kissed me again and climbed on top of me.

"Hmm!" I held his face away from me. "Inuyasha! What are you doing?"

"I wasn't counting on having to explain it to you..."

"Get off me! Someone might come in!"

It _was _my office, after all. And I was NOT about to have sex with him on top of my desk. No matter how hot it sounded.

"Who will come in, Kagome? You're the only one who likes to hang out here at this hour."

"Well" I said, after I let him kiss me a bit more. "I know. But come on. You have a party to go back to."

"I'm not going back there. They're all Kikyou's friends, I can't stand those people."

"Oh, God." I really did push him away from me this time. "Inuyasha, Kikyou."

"What about her?"

"Well, everything about her!" I know I didn't make sense. Let it go. "She's your fiancee, not me."

"We are on a break." I just can't not picture Ross whenever people say that. "There's nothing wrong with this." He pecked me again, startling me. I was trying to get the wrinkles off my suit.

"Anyway." I said, pushing him back again. "I still, believe it or not, have work to do. You should go."

"I'm sorry, Kagome, you're stubborn, but so am I." He got my purse, the wine, opened the door, turned off the lights and waited for me to walk out with him;

I just shook my head 'no', trying to untangle my own thoughts and even my breathing.

"Fine, then." He said when I didn't move, closed the door again and turned off the lights.

The office was all dark, and I couldn't see anything. I just felt when his lips met mine again, opening way to my mouth.

Girls, I'll be honest. There's no better feeling that being pressed against a wall by a man you want with every fiber of your being.

Excuse me. Maybe there is. The feeling of his hands undressing you.

He started unbuttoning my blazer, while pressing me against the wall. That one is the best feeling.

The best warmth in your heart is when he does something sweet, like let your hair down and sigh against your cheek, while caressing the lose strands.

He took the pin that was holding my hair up and pulled, making it fall down, tangling his fingers on it.

And right then and there I could picture myself married, with kids, in a white picket fence house, on a blue beach.

And guess who played the part of loving husband, dedicated father, chief of a family?

Bingo.

And you know what? I really wanted him. I wanted him to be mine, completely.

And we all know that that would never happened if I took the part of Other Woman. Not even in the next 500 years.

"I'm serious, now, you should go." I whispered, holding his arms.

He just bent his head and started sucking on my neck.

"Will I have to call security on you?" I joked.

He looked at me with hooded eyes.

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

My eyes had adjusted to the dark, so I could see his expression, like he was pondering if I would or not.

He must have decided I would, because he sighed, gave me a hard peck and ran his hands through his hair, walking away.

"This isn't over. You know that, don't you?"

"I don't know anything, Mr. Taisho." Blazer re-buttoned and hair under control again, but still down, I sighed and poised myself. "Let me get the door for you."

He walked behind me and when I opened the door, he pointed to my neck.

"That's gonna leave a pretty mark."

"And who's fault is that?"

He just smiled, like he was proud of himself.

"Happy birthday. Have a good night." I said, like we weren't sucking face two minutes ago.

"Say 'I'll see you soon, Inuyasha'." He got really close and touched my nose with his.

"Good night, Inuyasha."

My eyes were closed, ok? Stop judging. My mind was lightening red sirens and posting big signs of "DANGER! DANGER! STEP AWAY FROM THE SEXY MALE! DANGER!" but I was already kissing him again.

"Hmm, ok, enough. Go, you have to go. And I have to work. Get out."

"I'll pick you up at your place tomorrow, ok? I'm starting to like that lunch date idea of yours, where we spend the whole day together and then have dinner and then we'll have... _Burgers. _Deal?"

After sex burgers.

Loki, please, man. Do something. Save me.

"No. No deal." I couldn't hold my smile in!

"Ok then. I'll pick you up at noon."

"No! We will not have lunch together!"

"Don't make plans. You, me, tomorrow, lunch."

He kissed me again before I could protest and left.

I closed the door and started laughing, all by myself. My heart was going wild, I felt as if my mouth was the size of Angelina Jolie's, I was breathless, with a big mark on my neck, slowly turning blue.

Happy as I could be.

* * *

**Are you happy too? Review and let me know ;-)**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Now **_**we're talking. Thanks for all the comments, you guys. **

**I'm not sure if it was the little passive aggressive speech I punched you with last chapter or the changes I did to the summary. The other one was just horrible, so I changed it. **

**Thank you so much for your comments, I realy do love them all. **

**I am, at the present moments, sick. I have the flu, mind you. I'm sore, my nose is red and clogged up, I'm sneezing like there's no tomorrow, and there are Kleenex boxes all around the house. I'm feeling horrible, but I'm sure I'll feel better when I hear what you guys thik if this chapter. Don't forget to tell me all about it. **

**But oh! You guys really should think of more creative names for yourselves on your reviews. I got a bunch of "Guests", so answering them all separately gets tricky. Give me a name so I can give you a proper answer! **

**Love, **

**Nat'**

* * *

I think I still sat for half an hour in my office, without being able to think straight, let alone, work.

I don't even know what time it was when I got home. It was late, I knew that.

I was light as a feather. My steps didn't even make a sound on my floor as I walked in, trying not to grin to the walls like an idiot.

I could still feel his hands on me. The strength they used to presse me against him, the pressure of his lips on mine. The taste of him. It was all still there.

Talk about a good Friday.

.:.

I got off he shower and sat on the bed so I could brush my hair - with the new brush I bought while he was talking to me about how lame Houjo's dating skills were. My land line started ringing, and I frowned. My parents were the only one's who called my land line. Them or the bank. I let the machine answer.

_"Kagome, it's me, Sango, are you there? Oh, God, you must be sleeping, and I'm calling you. I'm sorry, I'll call you tomo-"_

SANGO! The one person I needed to talk to!

"Hello!" I grabbed the phone before she could hang up. "Sango! I'm here!"

_"Oh! Kagome! Good! I so need to talk to you!"_

"Me too! Are you home?"

_"No, I'm in a cab. Can I come over?"_

"Yes! Come over! I'll be waiting!"

_"I'll be right there." _

Hanging up, I sat on my bed until she got there, trying to distract my mind.

Didn't work.

A few minutes later, I ran to the door when the bell rang.

That's when it started.

There stood Sango, looking like she had done something she shouldn't.

And looks like we both saw the same thing at the same time. She pointed at me, and I pointed at her. She also had a big purple bruise on her neck. Only hers was more purple. And it were three.

We both started laughing like maniacs and hugged each other, like we had just won a prize or something.

After that, I closed the door, she kicked her shoes off and we ran to my bedroom and jumped on my bed and hugged pillows like two teenagers.

"It wasn't... Inuyasha that did that, was it?" She pointed to my neck and waited for my answer.

I hid my face on the pillow and screamed, all excited.

"Oh my God! Oh my God how?! When did this happen?!"

I told her how he showed up in my office out of nowhere, given me a bottle of Petrus ("No way, seriously?!"), made it clear that he wanted me as a birthday present and how we spent God knows how long making out.

"Kagome! I should fire you! Making out on your place of work!" She laughed.

"But it looks like your night was better than mine, huh?" I looked at the three big hickeys on her neck.

She sighed and hid her eyes and shook her head.

"Who is the author if this brilliant work of art?" I asked.

She murmured something on the pillow she was hugging. I didn't understand a word.

"Sango. Look at me." She showed me her eyes. Nose and mouth still hidden. "Was it Jakotsu?"

She laughed and tossed it at me.

"Yeah, of course it was. Don't you know how much he likes to suck on women's necks?"

We laughed again.

"It was Miroku, wasn't it?"

She lied down, face first on my duvet.

"Wasn't it, Sango?"

She nodded.

"Oh God! Finally!" I laughed and clapped. "Tell me, tell me!"

"Oh!" She sat up again and brushed her hair from her face. "We were driving to Inuyasha's party, right after I talked with you. I went downstairs and found him hitting on the new receptionist. I told him I was ready and we could go. He still lingered for like, three minutes, can you believe it? Got her number and everything. After that, he hailed a cab and we headed for his place, him and Inuyasha live on the same building. And, for some reason, we started arguing, and-"

"You were scolding him for hitting on the receptionist, weren't you?"

"Well, whatever! The thing is. We were still arguing when we got to his building. I had just pressed the button to Inuyasha's floor when he grabbed me, hit the stop button and kissed me!"

"Oooh! How romantic! It's like a movie!

"Kagome, I swear, I tried to push him away, but he's just so big and strong! Didn't even budge! He just pressed me against the elevator door and kissed the air out of me!"

"And you?"

She looked at me, all guilty.

"Oh, Gome, what could I do? There was no getting out of there, and besides... He's a really, really good kisser. All that whoring around taught him some moves. When I realized, I was already hugging him by the neck."

"Oh, Sango! How romantic!"

She bit her lower lip.

"And when was it that he gave you your new tattoos?"

"The first one was on the elevator. I managed to turn my head away and he planted one on my neck."

"And the others?

"The second one was on the hallway, after we got out of the elevator. The third was when I was leaving. He went down with me to get me a cab, and gave me this as a goodbye." She smiled.

"Oh boy! About damn time! I just couldn't stand you guys dancing around each other anymore! He looked at you like a boy staring at a toy he couldn't have."

She was about to comment when my phone started ringing.

We looked at it like it was dancing the Gangnam Style.

_Inuyasha Taisho, _it read on my screen.

"Let it go to voice mail. Leave him eager." Sango told me and I nodded.

It stopped ringing and it beeped.

_One new voice mail. _

I rushed to access it and put it on speaker.

_"Yeah, I know I'm a pain in the ass, but I was just wondering if you made it home ok. You're probably sleeping by now. I just wanted to say goodnight, and maybe hear your voice before going to bed. Call me when you get this, ok? Even if it's three A.M. Goodnight."_

I stared at the phone, one hand in my heart and my heart on my mouth.

"Oh, my God, Kagome." She whispered, as if he could hear us. "You put a spell on him."

"What? What spell?"

"A spell! Didn't you hear him? You can totally tell from his tone, he has a spell on him! And he just called you after the first make out section. That's rare!"

"Sango. Come on. He's not a high school kid or a frat boy. He's a grown man. Of course he called."

I picked the phone up to play it again, when it started ringing once more. We both screamed and I dropped the device on the mattress like it had burned my hand.

Same drill. We waited and them played the message he left.

_"I was just wondering. Forget lunch tomorrow. I still think my dinner idea is way better. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to spend the whole day with you, it's just that I don't want you to get sick of looking of my face. And don't even think about hiding in your office again, I'll go over there and find you, or anywhere else for that matter. I'll see you tomorrow. Pick you up at your place. Sweet dreams."_

"Kagome." Sango said. "You're living a Nicholas Spark novel."

"Me? You're the one getting hickeys on retail."

"Gross! Don't say that!"

"Why don't you check your voice mail? Maybe Miroku left you a message."

"Oh, no. He probably didn't, and I'll just regret giving in."

"Do you regret now?"

She thought about it, sighed and closed her eyes.

"No. I really don't."

"So come on! Get your phone!"

She ran to the living room to get her purse, and came back with it.

"You check" She handed me the Birkin I've been lusting after for a while now. "I can't bring myself to."

I opened it and fished her phone out.

"Oh my God!" I practically yelled.

"What? What is it?"

I turned the phone so she could read the screen.

_29 new voice mails, _it read.

Her mouth hanged open and she stared at the phone, hew brows high on her forehead.

"Now who's living the novel?"

She looked at me and her eyes told me she was as happy as a girl could be. Also surprised.

"Let's hear them!" I urged her.

She unlocked her phone and put it on speaker.

We spent the next 15 minutes listening to Miroku make a huge speech on how he wished she was there right now, how he was crazy about her, how he couldn't wait to see her again, how she was the best part of his day, how he never loved Inuyasha's birthday so much and "_fuck I want to kiss you again_."

Sango spent the whole time with her face hidden on a pillow. Fifteen minutes! How didn't she die?

"Oh my God. Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!" She repeated finally, when Miroku's voice finally ceased. "How am I gonna look at him now? I suck at this kind of things! I won't know what to do! It will be awkward and _horrible!_"

"You just do your thing, honey. I'm betting he won't allow you to speak next time you see each other. He'll probably want to continue from where you left off today. You know him."

And then it hit me.

"By the way... Where _did _you left off?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean did it stop on the hickeys or did it... progress?"

She just looked at me.

"Jesus, Sango, did you sleep with him?"

"Oh! No! No, of course not! We just took like half an hour to hang our coats on Inuyasha's closet, that's all. But no. I didn't."

She sighed.

"But maybe I should have..."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, I _really _wanted to. You have no idea how good he is. My head was spinning like a thousand miles an hour. It was like he knew how my body functions, he knew exactly what to do with it."

I giggled.

"And now I'm gonna have to sleep thinking about him and that Armani shirt he was wearing."

Inuyasha was wearing Armani too. Only his was a button down.

"I wonder who put a spell on who." I said, while lying down. "Us on them or the other way around?"

.:.

On the next day, Sango and I went to work together (Yeah, we had to work that Saturday). She spent the night on my place, I lent her a set of pajamas and we stopped by her place in the morning so she could go to work in her own clothes.

"You should brace yourself. Miroku is probably wandering around the office, waiting for you."

"You think so?"

"I know so. You just wait."

I looked at my reflection on the elevator mirror. A ton of make up had made it look like nobody had come near my neck. Sango's was the same.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. And my voice caught in my throat.

There he was, standing in front of us, looking all tense. His hair was a mess.

His expression was of pure joy when he looked inside the elevator car. Like he had just won the Oscar of best everything and a car full of hundred dollar bills.

It was a beautiful expression, really.

He looked very hot, either. Black jeans and a gray T Shirt that had a slight V neck, but not enough to be considered a douche-bag. Very elegant. He smelled like his Jean Paul Gaultier cologne, and I was about to drool when I realized I should probably get out.

Because it's not nice to be there when your friends start to make out.

You know. Sango and Miroku.

Who did you think I'm talking about?

So I made sure my neck makeup was still doing it's job and turned my head to Sango.

"I'll see you around, then." I gave her a slight kiss the cheek, that I honestly don't know if she noticed and walked out.

"Morning, Miroku." I offered.

"Yeah, hi." was all he offered me back. Didn't even look at me.

So I walked out. He got into the elevator and the door sealed them inside again.

He was probably taking her to the roof. Nobody goes there, because it's really windy. And Miroku can probably get the keys to the door with the security guards, because once he caught one of them having sex on the bathroom stall of the reception.

I'm so happy for them.

Walking into my office, I turned on the lights and the scenes from last night flashed before my eyes. Shaking my head, I urged them away. It would not be productive to think about Inuyasha groping me. I had work to do. Even if it was pretty hard, with his perfume still lingering on the stuff on my desk, from when he lied on top of me.

.:.

Oh, my God, I hate meetings. There are like, three people that make sense. The rest just sits there, commenting on stuff that are not at all relevant. And Sango's not even here to help me get through it, she's somewhere getting hot and heavy with Miroku.

Brilliant.

You know how some people in fashion - most people, actually - think that skin and bones is attractive and see no point in eating more than three nuts and a Gatorade the whole day?

I'm not like that. I need food. I need to smell and chew something that has been prepared in order not to pass out on the glass table of the meeting room.

By the time I do get out to eat is two in the afternoon, and I'm free to go home - Just a half day today, thank God.

"Hey" I greet my new assistant, a cute blond girl with huge green eyes. "Any messages?"

"Uh, yes. From..." She fumbled with her notes "A Mr. Taisho, who asked you call him after your meeting, and Sango. She said she won't be able to make lunch."

"Ok, thanks." I walked to get into my office, and she followed me.

"Are you ok? You look pale."

"I'm fine, thanks. Just starving." I walked in and went straight to the hanger where my purse was, ready to throw my stuff in there and walk back out to the nearest place where they sell food.

"Oh, I saw the meeting was running a little long, so I ran downstairs and got those Hell Snacks for you." She pointed to my desk.

Sure enough, there was a steaming package on top of it, and now that I noticed it, the smell was delicious.

"How in the world have I survived so long without you? Thank you so much!" I ran to my desk and unwrapped the paper bag. A delicious puff of hot steam punched me in the face and I almost cried in joy.

Those were mini balls of deep fried mash potatoes, stuffed with cheese. Delicious. I call them "Hell Snacks", because it's everything that is bad for me. All kinds of fat and cholesterol and mean things that will make me die fat and with my heart all clogged up if I ate too much. Beautiful Ann knows I like them only for emergencies, because they're fast to get and fast to eat, and I don't eat too much because I'd feel guilty, so I consume only enough to placate my hunger, saving room for a proper meal later.

I sat on my chair and plopped one in my mouth. Heaven and Hell dancing together creating a perfect explosion of taste.

"Hmm, God. These are good. Thank you."

She smiled at me and started to walk out again.

"Just because of that," I stopped her. "You can go, already. And take those boots you liked for a walk. You can bring them back Monday."

She looked at me, all surprised and eyes even bigger.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Go, go enjoy your weekend. Thanks again."

She beamed at me and hurried out. I went back to marveling on how delicious my greasy potato balls were. There was even a small bottle of orange juice to help me gulp them down.

I was chewing my third Diabolic Ball when she buzzed me on the phone.

"Yes? I thought you left."

_"I was about to, but there's someone here to see you."_

"Hmm?" Was all I could say with my mouth full of potato and cheese love.

_"Miss Kikyou Taisho?"_

Yes, I choked.

"I'm sorry. Did you say Kikyou?"

_"Yes. Should I let her in?"_

Holy shit. What the hell?

And Taisho? Not yet, honey. Settle down.

"Aaah, yeah, Ann. Let her in, thank you."

I finished swallowing my food, took a gulp of OJ and hid the stuff under my desk.

A few seconds later, my door opened and Ann let the Stick walk in.

She was wearing jeans and something a pregnant woman would wear as a top. Something _only _a pregnant woman should wear. And her shoes, Jesus. No.

She was, however, carrying a Birkin.

So. You have my man and my bag. Do you want my job too?

"Kikyou, hello! How are you?" I gestured for her to sit. She did.

"Hello, Kagome." She had her 'I hate the world' face on. Oh, fun.

"How can I help you?"

She looked at me for a few moments, and then proceeded to confuse the living shit out of me.

"Ok. I don't know how to say this without looking like a loser, so I'll just say it."

I raised my eyebrows and she continued:

"I know I'm not a model woman. I know I'm not the type of woman a man wants to marry. And well, I only think Inuyasha proposed to me because we dated in highs school, and I was still popular then. I'm one year his senior, you see." Which meant she was a good five or six years olden than me. "So he always had this crush on me. The thing is. He doesn't anymore. Have the crush, or anything else, I suspect. I saw the way he looked at you on the day of the show. And, weirdly enough, after he met you, his visits to "Sango's office" increased a lot. Yesterday, at his party, he didn't settle down until you got there. And when you didn't, he sulked. He said he was going to get more beer, only I know he went to see you. He came back all smiles, not one beer in sight. I know you talked, all he can do is smile after he talks to you. So, what I wanted to ask you is..."

Holy crap. What the fuck?

I was sitting very still until then. Did the woman really come into my fucking office to tell me her fiance is into me? What? Was she going to tell me she was getting herself out of the equation and letting me have him?

Yeah, Dream on, Higurashi.

"I'm trying to ask you something." She looked at her hands.

"Ask me... What?"

"Oh, God, this is embarrassing." She fixed her hair. "I want you to help me be more attractive to him."

Boom. That happened.

"Uhm... I beg your pardon?"

"Basically, that's it. I want you to teach me how to attract my fiance's attention."

What the fucking actual fuck, what?!

I thought about laughing evilly and screaming "NO WAY, BITCH, ARE YOU DREAMING?" on her face. Tell her she was nuts if she thought I was going to help her be hot for the guy I wanted.

If only she hadn't said the magic words.

No, she didn't say "please" or anything like that.

My fiance.

My. Fiance.

My - Stick. Fiance - Inuyasha.

Her Inuyasha. Not Kagome's. Stick's. Kikyou's.

And it was as if all the plans, all the fantasies, all the projects I had dreamed turned back to me and said "Wake up. The guy's taken. And she's sitting right there, asking you for help her win him back. Game over. You lose."

And then I saw her. Yeah, there she sat, big brown eyes staring at me, waiting for my answer.

What the fuck should I do?

"Kikyou, I confess I kind of thought you... Hated me."

"I tried to. To hate you. But all I could feel was jealous. I only thought 'Why can't I be like her?'" Fuck, what? "And I didn't see any better alternative than to come here and ask for your help."

Can you fucking believe it? I mean, can you _fucking _believe it?

I'm sorry I'm cursing so much, but _fuck!_

Ok, I get it. Inuyasha's hers. I get it now. I won't get myself between them anymore, promise. Enough now.

Nope. She was still there.

"So?" She asked, her hands twitching on her lap.

"Well, Kikyou...I wasn't expecting this, you got me by surprise, here."

"Oh, if you need some time to think, I can..." She got up and pointed to the door.

"No, no, sit down."

She sat back down and I could just see she was about to die of embarrassment.

"You see" I started. "I'm sorry, it's just, I _really _never thought you'd come here, let alone ask me something like that..."

She just kept her mouth shut and looked at me.

"But yeah, ok. I'll help you."

_"What?", _you must be thinking. But yeah, I said yes. I don't know why why the fuck I'd say yes to something like this, but I decided I'd help her get the guy I wanted so they could get married and run off towards the fucking sunset.

"Really? Oh, thank you so much! Thank you, Kagome , I don't know _how _to thank you."

"You're welcome."

She most definitely _isn't, _but whatever.

"When can we start?" She asked, all excited.

"How about Monday, or Tuesday?"

"Ok! I'll wait! I'll call you to set the details later."

"Right."

She smiled and got up. When she got to the door, she turned back to me.

"Oh, and uh... I'm sorry for what I said back in the show, about your designs. I think I was just mad Inuyasha was looking at you and not at me."

"All forgotten." I smiled at her.

She smiled back, opened the door and left.

I looked at my mashed potatoes and cheese balls. I would _definitely _need more of those.

* * *

**BAM! **_**What do you think? Hit me up with a review and let me know ;-)**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, my lovelies! **

**It is currently 23 minutes past midnight here in Rio. I had a full house for the weekend, so this is the time I got to do a quick read over the chapter to hunt for mistakes, and post it to you guys. **

**Thank you for all the "get well" wishes! I am feeling much better, except for the fact that I do have to work tomorrow. Maybe I'll develop another case of sore throat, I don't know xD**

**I adore all your reviews! To hear from all of you is wonderful, so keep 'em coming! I'll try to answer the best I can. **

**Here's chapter 5. **

**Much, much love,**

**Nat'**

* * *

**SheblyThekoala: Haha! Glad you liked it! The Hell Snacks actually exist, I just gave them a new name. Never tried it, but can you imagine? Countless extra sizes of jeans and cholesterol in wonderful mouthfuls of fried goodness ;-)**

**g0ld3n: Wow! Thank you so much for your words! Means a lot! I'm glad you're liking it, and I hope I can manage to keep you interested. Hope you like this chapter. Thank you for the get well wishes. XOX.**

**Guest: Brilliant?! You flater me ;-) Glad you like it! And help me out here, on the meaning of "top shottas" xDD.**

* * *

Secret.

Sango and Miroku are in a secret relationship.

How cute -and hot- is that?

it looks like after I walked out of the elevator and he walked in, they went exactly where I thought: the roof. And Miroku, as I suspected, easily got the keys with the security guards and had no problem getting there.

And that's where they proceeded to make out for the better part of the morning. The only reason they didn't do it was because they were out in the open, and Sango was afraid someone from another building saw them.

But what matters is, he was so so sweet to her. Kept kissing her face and her neck, telling her she's wonderful and that, if she let him, he could make her very happy. And she decided she would. Let him, that is.

After that, the only reason they didn't do it was because a pigeon flew by them and Sango got scared, so they got out of there.

And now they're dating. It's not an affair, because Miroku made her promise she was only his now, because, and I quote, "I've been yours for forever now."

Aaaawn! The love!

Nobody knows about their relationship, because even though Sango was pretty much head over heels in love with him too, she was still too aware of his womanizing ways, so she is giving him a trial period. Because if nobody knows he is taken now, the ladies would still throw themselves at him, and he would have to prove that he was serious about Sango and be a man and turn them down.

If you ask me, they just wanted to enjoy some secret hot sex and feel the good sensation of sneaking around. I don't blame them, I'd like that too.

Anyway. As I was saying, nobody knows, except for me and Inuyasha, because they agreed on telling the best friends.

And I really, really am happy for her. Just the look in her eyes is enough to make me smile.

But, right now, I cannot bring myself to do that. Smile. Because I'm too nervous.

It's 4:30, I'm in a car going home, and my phone won't stop buzzing.

I don't have to look to know who it is.

I'm a mess, that's what I am. A mess of feelings. I already ate like 20 of those Hell Snacks, and I don't even care. I even bought more before getting in the car to go home. I skipped lunch.

I can feel my skin forming zits as we speak, from all the oil I'm ingesting.

And this damn phone, buzzing away inside my purse is driving me crazy.

This time I look. And of course it's him.

The driver drops me home and, look how sweet, asks if I'm ok.

I smile at him and nod, offering him a few of my Hell Snacks. Which he doesn't accept.

Not even my bulky, huge man of a driver wants to ingest all the crap that is contained in these bags.

I get home, and run to my door.

I need my bed, I need my pillow. I need my mother.

But oh! My mother can't help me now, because she's somewhere in Asia with daddy on their fourth or fifth honey moon, and I don't even know what time is it in there!

Sango can't help me either, because just what kind of a friend I'd be if I dumped all my problems on her on the same day she gets together with her man?

Not a very good one, I assure you.

So all I could do was throw myself in bed and wait for it all to go away on it's own.

Only I can't because the damn phone stars buzzing again, and I know it's him, but I can't avoid this forever, so.

"Hello?"

_"I know it's too early for dinner, but I just can't wait. Let's go right now."_

God, how I want him.

"Listen-"

_"Are you home? I've been calling you non stop. I swear I'm not a stalker. Just miss you."_

Oh man, please stop saying stuff like that.

_"I'll come over, ok? I'm in a cab."_

I accepted, because, really, what I had to tell him was better done in person.

So I sat in my bed, watching the day grow darker by the minute, in total silence, for like half an hour.

When I heard his knock on the door, I dragged myself out of bed and turned on a lamp by the couch on my way.

When I opened the door for him, I had to force myself not to cry.

He was so damn handsome, on casual clothes, looking as fresh as ever on a Saturday evening.

"Hey." He greeted me, smiling, and took a step forward, holding me by my waist, kissing me before I couldreact.

"Hi. Listen, I need to talk to you about something."

"Let me guess." He said, walking in while I closed the door. "You think it's a better idea if we stay here, open up that wine I gave you, and just relax. I love it. Let's do that."

He pulled me against him and glued his lips to mine, and _oh my God _I knew I should have stopped him, but I just want him so much, it's really difficult to deny myself his kisses.

So I just let him kiss me as much as he wanted. I hugged him by his neck and, for a moment, forgot everything I had to say to him.

"Why didn't you return any of my calls?" He whispered against my neck while hugging me tight.

"That's what I need to talk to you about."

"Talk? I don't feel like talking much." And then he pulled my hair down so he could have free access to my neck. "Oh, hey! Look at that!" He chuckled and passed his fingers on my neck.

"It's your fault." I said, and untangled myself from him to look on the mirror over the dinner table.

And well, crap.

The make up had smeared when I washed my face after I got home and the hickey he gave me was showing. It looked horrible, a big blue bruise on my neck. It looked like somebody punched me.

"Are you kidding, with this?" I said to him, while he hanged his coat on the hook by the door and looked at a spot on his shirt in the mirror, standing by my side.

"What?"

"Look at this! I can't show up like this in public!"

"And why not? Miroku does, every Monday, doesn't he?"

I ignored the fact.

"By the way, do you already know about them?"

"Yes."

"Finally,huh? If I had to hear one more whine about how perfect Sango is, I'd have to punch him. They were about to jump each other, any given moment." He smiled and nuzzled my cheek. "Kinda like us, huh?"

I shook my head and walked away from him, putting the couch between us. Safe distance.

"Inuyasha, listen. I do have something to tell you."

He sighed and sat down on my couch. I sat beside him, literally on the edge of my seat, in case he decided to jump me.

"What is it, love?"

_Love? _Ugh. Kill me now.

"The Sti- Aah, Kikyou came to see me today."

"What?" He looked at me, all spooked.

"She went to my office."

"Why? What did she want? What did you tell her?"

It was clear as day, the thoughts going through his head.

_'Kikyou found out. I lost my fiancee. I lost the woman I love.'_

I sighed.

"What did she tell you, Kagome?"

"She went there to ask me for a favor."

"A favor?" He made a confused face.

"Yes. She wanted me to help her."

"Help her with what?"

"She asked me to help her, uh... Become more attractive... For you."

He just looked at me with a crease on his forehead, like he was trying to figure out what I was saying.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I follow. She asked you to teach her manners?"

"No. She asked me to help her make you fall in love with her again. And that consists in teaching her how to dress in a way that pleases you, to walk, talk, act, behave, all so that you, according to her, start loving her for real."

He stared at me for a few seconds.

In his eyes, confusion. In mine, frustration.

"Did she say that? The 'loving her for real' part?"

"Sort of. She didn't use those words, but that is what she meant."

He got up and started pacing, his hands on his hair, forcing them back.

"So I thought" I continued. "I mean, I thought that it wouldn't be fair to her, to you or to me, if we went on with... This." I said, fiddling with my own hair.

He sat down again.

"Are you sure she was being... You know. Sincere?"

I blinked.

"Well, I think so. She was nervous, clearly hating being there, practically humiliating herself, asking for my help."

He rested his back on the couch, and sighed again, sounding tired. His eyes closed.

And then he turned to me.

"Kagome, I don't know what to... Really, I don't... I mean..."

"Oh, no, please. There's nothing to say to me. I'm perfectly fine."

I wasn't.

"But I thought we-"

"No, Inuyasha. It wasn't going to work anyway." I got up this time. "I don't know what I was thinking yesterday, or even today. I think it's best we just go our separate ways, considering that-"

"Kagome, look at me." He got up and turned me to him. "I'm not worried about Kikyou. This is not the first time she pulls something like that. Ok, it's the first time she goes this far, but, damn it, my engagement to her is over. It's been over for a while. Now, you... "He studied my face with his eyes. "I've never felt this way about Kikyou. Not in high school, not ever. I didn't feel like this when I asked her to marry me, and I didn't when she said yes."

"Inuyasha, come on. We've known each other for less than a month, there's no way we-"

"Yes there is. You know there is. You feel the exact same way, since the day we've met, don't you?"

My legs were shaking by now, my heart was thumping inside my chest, so hard I could hear it. And, for some reason, I couldn't stop blinking.

"Inuyasha, pay attention. Your fiancee asked me to help her win you back. What kind of person would I be if, at the same time I'm helping her, I undo everything by seeing you on the side?

"You said _yes?_" He asked, surprised.

Oops. I forgot to tell him that.

"Uuh, yeah."

"Kagome..." He was really confused now.

"This, between us, would never work. So I think we should forget the whole thing, all that has happened yesterday and today. You should go home and think about your wonderful bride."

Ok. That sounded forced even in my ears, but whatever. I was trying to make a point.

He looked at me and pushed a strand of hair away from my eyes.

"Are you breaking up with me?"

I chuckled.

"There's nothing to break up."

"This is wrong. This is so fucking wrong."

"It is, really wrong. You should not be here, standing in my living room, unbuttoning my blouse."

He smiled and touched my forehead with his.

"But that's exactly where I want to be."

Another sigh, from me.

"Ok, go home. Have a hot shower, eat something and sleep, profoundly. I'll do that too. To clear the ideas."

If he suggested we cleared our ideas together, I'm not sure I'd be able to say no.

Damn it.

But he did what I asked him. Took a step back from me, got his coat from the hook on the foyer and opened the door. I walked after him.

"I'm gonna miss you, you know?" He said, with his face pressing against the edge of the open door.

I smiled so I wouldn't cry. Because, damn it all to hell, I was going to miss him too. A lot. I'll have to try hard not to teach all the wrong things to the Stick.

"Come here." He whispered, and pulled me to him by my neck, pressing his lips to mine.

It was an intense kiss. He was saying goodbye to me.

I stepped back, holding my tears in. My forced smile answered his.

And then he was gone.

I closed the door and leaned against it.

Damn it. He expressed everything I felt.

I have never felt like that either. Not even when Jimmy proposed to me, or when I said yes. And of curse he didn't feel anything huge too, because he's gay, and I'm not a man, so I think he didn't exactly hear fireworks when I accepted to be his wife.

And I always hear fireworks when I see Inuyasha.

Damn it all. Damn this perfect man. Damn my stupid heart, for screaming for him. Goddamn White Stick, for having him. Damn Kagome, for being stupid enough to agreeing to help another woman win him. Damn universe, for letting all this happen.

Damn Sango and Damn Miroku, for being so happy.

Oh God. No. Nonononono!

It's good that they're happy, very good. Wonderful. I love them, with all my heart, and I know they are perfect for each other, and I can't, in no way, be sad about their happiness in comparison with my own misery, because that's not fair.

Damn jealousy.

.:.

Tuesday flew in, just because that was the day I agreed to start Kikyou's "classes".

I woke up already feeling tired. I was not looking forward to that day. I think you can understand.

But, come on, "You promised, now you have to do it", said my conscience.

Sometimes I think my life would be better without it. My conscience, I mean.

I got up and looked in the mirror.

That wasn't going to work.

If yesterday my hickey was blue, today it was black. He really did a number on my neck. My hair was a disaster. My face was still a bit swollen (I had cried a bunch last night after Inuyasha left), my camisole was a big Minnie Mouse T-Shirt I had since college.

Geez. I was the image from hell.

I got myself together the best I could and went to work.

That too, flew by. It was like the whole day went by in five minutes, and then it was time to drive to Williamsburg and go once again face to face with the Wicked Stick of the West.

And my neck was itching from all the makeup I put in it to hide the monster Inuyasha had planted there. It wasn't even a good itching, like those we get from when a stubble scratches you.

I got to my car, which I never had a chance to drive, and headed for the address I was given.

Huge house. Immense. Beautiful gardens.

The Stick is loaded.

I get out of the car, and ha. There's a dude waiting for me at the door, waiting to take my keys.

"Miss Higurashi, hello. Miss Ahitaka will see you on the reading room. Please follow me."

A governess. I'm not even kidding. I swear a governess greeted me by the door and started guiding me through a bunch of corridors. She was wearing her hair in a low bun, pearl necklace, blue dress and those doll shoes. Just like in the movies.

How weird. And rich.

Me and Mary Poppins walked to the reading room. It was _far_. I walked a lot to get there.

A lot of Velazasquez on the walls. And Monet and Picasso. One or two Van Gogh's. A beautiful sense of art. Admirable.

We got to the damn room and the governess opened the door.

"Miss Higurashi is here, dear."

I saw the Stick sitting on a chair on the corner of the room, reading. She looked at the door and made a surprise expression when she saw me.

"Kagome! I'm so glad you're here! Come in!" She stretched her hand to me. "Thank you, Jo."

The governess, Jo, apparently, bowed her head and left.

"Beautiful house." I said.

"Thank you. It belonged to my parents. They left it for me and my sister. She's very young, so I chose to live here with her until she's older and can move to Manhattan."

That's... Nice.

Damn it.

"So. Do you want to start right away?" She asked.

"I think we should."

"Ok." She kind of opened her arms to show me herself. "What's you diagnosis?"

"Oh, no." I started. This was so damn awkward. "You're the one who is going to conduct this. You know Inuyasha's tastes, you know what pleases him. I'm just here to help you get there."

"Oh, ok then". She looked the her side, thinking. "I think we should start from my wardrobe, then."

Yeah. Me too.

"I don't think he likes the way I dress."

Nobody does, sweetie.

"Ok. Why don't you let me take a look, then?"

She walked me to her bedroom. It was freaking big. It was the master suite, she told me she moved there one year after her parents died.

And her closet.

Ok. I'm a fashion designer. But I don't have a closet this big. Even the woman's closet had a corridor inside of itself. Damn.

The sad part is: Almost nothing was wearable in there. Maybe a few shoes and purses (the bitch has three Birkins. _Three. _Different colors. Damn it), but as far as actual clothes goes, the woman had the taste of a fifteen year old girl living in the 90's.

So much money. Wasted.

"Uh, Kikyou, let me ask you this. How much money are you willing to spend on clothes?"

"Oh. Do not worry about money. You tell me what needs to be done, and we'll do it. Don't worry about expenses."

"Ok, then. Well, this wardrobe part will take a little while, but I'll handle it. I need your measurements, from ring to shoe size. Everything."

"Right, I'll get it. Give me a minute." And she walked out of the closet. And I saw myself in there, alone, in the middle of a bunch of horrible items of clothing.

Jesus.

How the hell does someone manage to spend so much money on polyester dresses?

While I was there, I made a snap decision, and got my phone from my pocket.

_"My diva! How are you?"_

"Hey, Jakotsu."

_"Oh, darling. You sound horrible. What has happened?_

"I'm here."

I had told him everything today at lunch. Sango couldn't make it again, so I had lunch with him and spilled the beans when he noticed my miserable face.

_"Here? Where he- oh. Are you in the dragon's cave?"_

"Precisely. On her closet, to be accurate. And I just realized, I can't do this on my own. I need help. I need your moral support to get though this."

_"Oh, honey! Of course! What do you need?"_

I had to speak really low, in case Kikyou walked back in the room.

"The woman is a mess. I will spend my entire life trying to fix her if I do this alone. Her closet alone is giving me a brain tumor. I need your help with the behavior part. You're a better teacher then I am, anyway. Will you please help me?"

_"Of course, honey. I was just coming back from the gym. Let me take a quick shower and I'll be right there."_

"Thank you so much. I'll text you the address."

I texted him and put my phone away again. I was making a mental assessment of what I could save from that pile of garbage when she walked back in with a piece of paper on her hand.

"There you go."

I looked at it and put it in my pocket.

"So. Since we won't be able to do this right away, I already took care of the second part of our... Training."

"Second part?"

"Behavior. You said you wanted to learn how to move and behave better?"

"Oh, yes! Does that include dancing? Inuyasha is a good dancer, and I'm not."

"Well, yes, I suppose we can include it in the package. But, while the solution gets here, let's get to work."

I turned to her clothes and started my magic.

In twenty minutes I already had an idea of what I would do about her sense of style. She explained me her taste and I worked not to completely erase it, just make it a little better. I was writing everything down on my planner.

And then we heard the knock on her bedroom door.

"Mr. Sewen is here, Miss Ahitaka." Jo announced.

"Oh! I said. "This is the solution I was talking about."

"Hello, darling." Jakotsu said when he saw me.

"Hello, dear." He kissed me on both cheeks and I turned to Kikyou. "This is Kikyou, Inuyasha's fiancee. You remember him."

"Ah, yes. Vaguely." He lied while shaking Kikyou's hand. "So. In what can I be of service?"

I quickly explained the situation to him, and Kikyou interjected sometimes.

I soon was back in her closet, feeling like Stacy London on What Not to Wear, throwing clothes I would donate to the Salvation Army on a pile, while saving a few items.

I could hear them on her bedroom. He was giving her basic lessons on how to walk properly, on heels. She was wearing a pair of Alexander McQueen's pumps she said she never wore because they were too high.

"Look ahead, sweetie. You cannot look at your feet while you walk." He said.

"This is really difficult."

"It wouldn't be if you haven't spent so much time wearing teenager shoes.

I couldn't help but smile.

"Ok. Let's forget the shoes for now."

And then he made her walk around, barefoot, with a huge book on her head. For posture.

After two hours, I was done with her clothes and he was done with his first lesson.

Kikyou was all happy when Jakotsu said she was already walking better.

"Oh, thank you, both of you." She said, walking us down the stairs and to the front door, while someone got my car for me. "When can we continue?"

"How about Wednesday? I'll have a draft or a new wardrobe for you by then." I suggested.

"Perfect. Is that ok with you, Jakotsu?"

"Sure." He did _not _like her.

"Ok then. Thank you very much, again!"

We waved goodbye and got into my car, since he had taken a cab.

"Oh, _darling_" Jakotsu exclaimed, once I drove away from the mansion. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

"I know, I know. But come on! What would _you _do?"

"Me? I would kick her skinny ass and I would get my man, that's what I'd do. Please."

I sighed.

"God! I've had more success with models with no legs than with this bitch. Gosh!"

"Really? Was she that bad?"

"Awful. Horrible. You should see her trying to walk on the McQueen's. I almost fainted."

I laughed. Only Jakotsu could make me laugh after an evening like that.

"So. What are you going to do next?"

"I have no idea."

"Have you talked to Inuyasha about this?"

"Yeah, he stopped my my place yesterday."

"He did?" He was surprised.

"Yes. We were going to have dinner. God, I swear. Before Kikyou asked me for my help, I thought I was living my epic romance. Of course, I never forgot he was engaged, but I thought it was part of, I don't know, some big epic plan to make everything more... Romantic, you know?"

"Oh, my sweet sweet darling. Why is this _happening _to us?"

His voice cracked, so I looked at him. He was blinking furiously, trying to wave the tears away with his hands.

"Jakotsu! Don't exaggerate, please! It's not that bad!" I was laughing so I wouldn't cry too, because can you imagine how ridiculous it would be, both of us crying in my car in the middle of the bridge? "She's not my rival or anything. And, think about it. If this was a movie, I would be the villain, because I'm putting myself between the love of two high school sweethearts, and-"

"Aaaaah!" He screamed. He _shrieked_, actually. It was really high pitched. I don't think I can scream like that.

Not to self: try to scream like Jakotsu after I get home.

"Kagome! Please! Don't ever say that again! You are not the villain! You are the protagonist! Do you want to hear the plot of the movie?"

I smiled.

"Overpowering! The story of two hearts that didn't know love, until they knew each other. It would be a box-office success!"

It would be a Hallmark disaster. But I didn't tell him that.

I dropped him at Times Square (he had a date), and headed home. Parked my car on it's usual spot, rode the elevator up, opened my door, walked to my room, took my shoes off, sat on my bed, turned the TV on and started to cry.

Cried like there was no tomorrow.

Cried because everything was so absolutely wrong. Everything.

I couldn't focus on my job anymore, I couldn't talk to people without looking around to see if he was there, couldn't not think about him all the time. About him and that side smile of his that just crawled it's way into my heart on the wrongest time, and because it seemed like he liked to play around with me, because at the same time he said he liked me, he had a fiancee he wouldn't let go of. And proof of that is that he didn't call me anymore, not one time, since I told him about Kikyou.

That whole story about how he never felt like this about anyone but me? It's a lie.

It is, because if it were true, he would at least call me. Minimum. Because what he _should _do, is break up with her, and not force me spend time with her, grooming her for him.

Jerk.

Guess what, Jimmy. I'm not as wonderful as you said I was. I finally realized you only said that because you are a wonderful man and didn't want to break my heart. You can call me now and say "Yes, Kagome, it's true. You're not all that", because I have figured it out. So you and the world can stop pretending I'm a great gal to have, because I know I'm not.

**.:.**

I think it was about five the morning when I woke up. The door bell was ringing. I was wearing one of my brother's shirts he keeps here.

Half asleep, I walked to the door, wondering who the hell was ringing my door bell in such an early hour.

I opened the door and almost fell on my butt.

Suddenly I was in a black and white movie, like Casablanca or something.

Wearing a black suit, standing in my doorway was the last person I thought I was going to see there. I could only smile, words evading me.

"Please forgive the hour, darling, but I just couldn't sleep knowing your heart is broken."

"Oh, my God! What are you doing here?"

He smiled one of those Hollywood white smiled of his.

"Are you not happy to see me, love?"

"Oh, of course I am, honey! It's just, I wasn't expecting you, that's all!"

He got in and gave me such a warm, loving hug that I crumbled right then and there.

"I knew it. I knew you were a mess." He caressed my hair and rocked me, very slowly.

"But," I raised my head from his shoulder and looked at him. "How did you know? How did you get here so fast?"

"Oh, you know me, darling. I can smell your tears miles away."

"Yes, but from London?"

Jimmy smiled and wiped the tears from my cheek with his thumb.

"Ok. Jakotsu called me a few hours ago."

"How did you come all the way from London so fast?"

"I wasn't in London. I was in Los Angeles, trying to sort a few family problems. My sisters are fighting again, I had to come and take care of it."

I looked at him and smiled. Oh, how I missed him.

"Jakotsu told me what happened. I saw no option if not get a plane and come take care of you."

I smiled.

"Oh, sweetheart," He said, on that heavy accent of his. "He hurt you, didn't he?"

I nodded and started crying again.

"It is amazing, though. You are sleepy, your hair is a mess, the man you want is sleeping by his girlfriend now, and still you manage to look like a princess."

Oh, the lies he tells me to make me smile.

"How do you do it, hmm?" He hugged me again, took one of my hands in his and we started dancing, to no music, in the middle of the living room.

But that was better than any grand ball with gowns and music. I could pretend that this whole mess didn't exist, and could pretend that, as long as Jimmy held me, I would be safe from the world.

Only after a few minutes, his eyes weren't green, he wasn't British and his hair wasn't black. Suddenly he was a blond lawyer that had golden eyes and a side smile that had my heart beating faster every time I looked at it.

* * *

**Anybody from good old Great Britain? How's little George Alexander Louis doing? LET ME HEAR FROM YOU! ;-***


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, guys! How are you?**

**Here's the new chapter. It's big. 28 pages big. I considered dividing it in two, but the first part would be kind of boring, and I didn't want to make you guys wait a week for the rest. **

**Thank you for your reviews, you guys! I love them all and get ridiculously excited when I get one. So keep 'em coming! **

**I hope you guys like this one! I loved writing it – especially the ending. **

**Love, **

**Nat'**

* * *

**g0ld3n: I don't know, would you believe **_**me **_**if I said I fan girled when I read your review? Your words made me actually do a victory dance (I was alone at the house, don't worry xD). English is a language that always interested me, I have a lot of contact with it, so I manage to not make it forced. Thank you, though, for your compliment! It means a lot! Let me know what you think of this! XOX!**

* * *

We ended up sleeping in the same bed, Jimmy and I.

Right after we stopped dancing, we went to the kitchen and ate the chocolate filled cookies my grandpa always sends me. After that we went to my bedroom, where we talked until the sun started to come up and the traffic started to get more intense outside.

And I realized Jimmy had become the big brother I've never had. I've always felt like it was my job to take care of Sota. Because I'm the oldest, I always had do defend him. And, as much as he tried to defend me too, he's 4 years younger, so he always ended up with his head on my lap, asking me to play with his hair until he fell asleep.

And last night I had someone to play with _my _hair. We lied down and talked until noon, I guess. I called in sick and just relaxed in my bed.

He heard every little thing I had to say about how Inuyasha took a big chunk of my heart and declared it his, how Kikyou is exactly everything I never want to be, except filthy rich and the fiancee of the guy I wanted (and the proud owner of _three motherfucking Birkins)_. He heard about how I couldn't help feel a little jealous of Sango, who was now too busy making out with Miroku to notice how miserable I am. And he listened, and caressed my hair like he was saying "I'm here, it'll be ok. I'm here, it'll be ok..."

.:.

Jumpt do Sunday.

I managed to drag myself to work on Wednesday, but I canceled with the Stick. Gave her some excuse that I don't remember and told her I would re-schedule as soon as possible. She wasn't pleased.

Well, she can just Stick it.

(See what I did there? It was a _great_ pun. Excuse you.)

So there I was, Sunday, on my bed. Jimmy had made me lunch while I tried to use my time to come up with a few design ideas.

And all I could think about was gold.

Guess why.

Shoes, skirts, dresses, coats, hats, everything! Everything had to be gold!

But of course it wouldn't, because, please. This is not the 80's, I can't just splash gold in an entire winter collection. And it has been done already, the whole metallic thing. Yesterday's news.

And besides. He would notice the connection, wouldn't he?

Anyway. I was about to lose it. Because the drawings were actually really good.

Well, it's official: he has destroyed me. I couldn't even get out of bed without groaning and my muscles getting heavier. And it was like my head was constantly being tossed into a blender.

Next Monday, Jimmy came to work with me to say hello to Sango and Miroku.

Oh my goodness.

Sango is... Well, let's face it, she's a mess. Her hair is all disheveled, her clothes were wrinkled, and she applied her make up in a hurry, as far as I could see.

Miroku is all messed up too. His hair was messy, but not the hot and sexy kind of messy like usually wears it. It was a lack of interest messy.

(Parenthesis to remark that he was still sexy. Thank you moving on.)

And he had forgotten to shave. A chaos.

A hot chaos, but chaos nevertheless.

It was clear they were getting any little break they had to get physical together.

I'm starting to think that he wasn't crazy about Sango, and if the feeling wasn't mutual, and if I wasn't drooling over his best friend, there would be a possibility of me having an affair with Miroku. One of those affairs that only happen at night, because he can be a little insufferable during the day.

Anyway. Jimmy went to see his brother after that (not his real brother, he lives in Madrid. His best friend from ever since they were little toddlers), the guy and his wife had just had a baby, and Jimmy was the god-father and was yet to be introduced to the child. And I obviously couldn't count on Sango and Miroku to keep me company at lunch.

Sango told me they were going to have lunch at the Plaza. Uh-huh. _Lunch. _Okay.

So the lack of friends left me with no choice but to have lunch on my own, and remain on my own until Jimmy met me later.

"Miss Higurashi! What a surprise! It's been a while since we last saw you!"

The hostess of the small french bistro welcomed me with a smile.

It was a very cozy place, buried inside a book store in the Village. I loved going there when I had to eat by myself. I could get a book and listen to the classical violin music they played there. It was very, very cozy. And the food was delicious.

"It's true, Suzy, I just have been working to hard lately, is hard to indulge myself these little lunches here. But, here I am." I smiled at her.

They always treat me like a queen in there.

"This deserves a celebration! I'll personally tell the chef to take care of your meal, Miss Higurashi, and have Loius pick a good wine for you."

Louis is the sommalier.

"Thank you, very much."

"Please follow me." She guided me to a table near the window, so I could see the street outside.

"Oh, and Jimmy might be joining me later."

"Oh! Is he back?" She asked, all excited.

Always had a crush on him, that one.

"Unfortunately, no. Just visiting."

"Oh. Still, it will be a pleasure to see him again."

She took my order and left. It didn't take long to get ready. My food arrived along with a glass of white wine.

I started eating, and it was perfect. But I didn't want to give my mind time enough to wander to dangerous places, so I opened a book and started reading while I ate. I finished my food, but remained in my seat, reading my book, unwilling to get back to real life.

I should do this more often. It can be quite relaxing.

"Excuse me, Miss." The waiter said, while placing a plate of chocolate mousse in front of me.

"Oh, no, I didn't order-"

"Oh, pardon me, Miss. This is from the gentleman at the bar. He also sent you this."

He also places a napkin with something written on the table.

Oh, Jimmy.

He does this. It's actually how we met. He saw me and sent me a Dry Martini. When I didn't accept it, he came over to ask me my preferences in drinks, so he could get it right the next time.

I looked over at the bar, and no sign of him. It was a slow day at the bistro. Only a few college girls who liked to think they were so chic, some old men who were already retired and were there for a long time, sharing a huge table, one businessman or two, the anchor of the eight o'clock news, and a couple. No Jimmy at the bar.

I got the little note and read it, after looking at the cholocate mousse and realizing it looked amazing.

_'If I had a penny every time I smiled when I see you, I wouldn't be as rich as if I had one every time I think of you.'_

Huh. Romantic notes from Jimmy? I know you're gay, sweetheart. You don't have to hit on me just to cheer me up.

I lifted my eyes, ready to laugh it off with him, when I saw. On the table right in front of me, Inuyasha sat, looking at me with that damned side grin.

I don't have to tell you that my heart did a flip that would put the Olympic Gymnastics team to tears.

My mind went immediately to defense mode. _'What do I do? Do I run? Do I ask for the check? Smile? Cry? Ignore? What?!' _and at the same time, there were what sounded like dancing native indians singing around a fire _'Kikyou Kikyou Kikyou Kikyou'._

So I just sat there. Looking a little flushed and not knowing what to do, while he got up and walked towards me, wearing the most attractive navy suit. I also failed to react when he sat down on the chair in front of mine.

"Hello." He offered, and _oh my God his voice!_

He was giving me one of those looks again. I'm sure he and Ian Somerhalder took the same course to learn how to have smoldering eyes.

But there was something off about his smile. Like he was... Relieved? But at the same time, a little sad.

I didn't let myself think about what that meant.

"Hey." I answered.

"I'm sorry, for sending over dessert. I just wanted some excuse to come talk to you."

"Excuse?"

He sighed and looked at me, like he was analyzing my face.

"How are you?" He asked.

"I'm good" I lied. Biggest lie in a while. Because the honest answer would be "Me? Oh, well, let's see. I have this nagging headache because of all the crying these past few days. Your fault, by the way. I'm afraid of getting up from this chair, because I know when I do, I'll have to meet your bride so I can teach her how to be a human being rather than a monster, and right now I feel like jumping you in front of all these people who just want to have lunch. Does that answer your question?"

But I didn't. I just said that I was good.

Which I wasn't.

"Are you sure? Because I'm not."

"No? Why is that?" It was politeness that had me asking. Politeness. Not curiosity.

"Because it's been a week since I can't stop thinking about who has been transforming Kikyou on this completely different person. Just yesterday, she just showed up at my apartment with a box of Chinese take out on her hand, a a pack of beer on the other, telling me she wanted to celebrate the birth of a brand new Kikyou."

_What? _Chinese take out to celebrate the- Oh, man. Seems like I was wasting my time on her.

You don't celebrate with Chinese take out, you stupid Stick! You celebrate with Swiss Chocolate. And sex.

Amateur.

"Oh. That's good. She must be happy."

"She is." He looked deep in my eyes. "And for two hours, she couldn't stop listing the qualities of _someone_, telling me how she regretted being so rude and mean when they first met. And do you know what I wanted to do?"

"Order more egg rolls?" I was trying hard not to look him in the eye. But I always ended up gazing.

"I wanted to tell her that I _know _of all the qualities she was mentioning, plus a few more. And I wanted to leave her and go pay you a visit."

Sweet mother of Ryan Gosling.

"Pay me a visit?"

"Yes. You damaged me, miss. Big time." He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Bastard. Did he have to say that?

"Inuyasha, I-"

"Kagome! Found you!" Jimmy's voice, heavy with accent, interrupted me, and I felt his hand on my chin, lifting my face to his, so he could give me a peck on the lips. "I'm so sorry to keep you waiting, darling." He looked at Inuyasha, sitting on the chair that was supposed to be his. "Who's your friend?"

The waiter rushed to get a chair for him, and he sat between me and Inuyasha, holding my hand and caressing it with his thumb.

I'll be honest, I didn't know what the hell was happening at that moment. I think part of my brain actually shut down.

"Um, this is Inuyasha Taisho. Inuyasha, this is James Hightel-"

"Her fiance. Hello." Jimmy said _out of nowhere _and offered his hand for Inuyasha to squeeze.

"Oh!" Was all I could manage to say.

"Yes, all right." He let go of Inuyasha's hand and turned his face to me, bringing my knuckles to his lips. "Ex-fiance. This is something that I still regret, letting this one escape from me. Every time I set eyes on her, I feel like a fool." He said, looking at me like I was Neil Patrick Harris.

"Anyone would." Inuyasha said.

Man. He was suddenly _pissed. _

"I have a surprise for you darling." Jimmy said, after taking a bite of the mousse Inuyasha had sent me. "I was late for a reason. I hope you like it."

And then he reached for a bag I hadn't noticed he was carrying. It was very big.

And orange. With an "H" printed on it.

Holy shit oh my God.

He smiled at me when I looked at him, my mouth hanging open.

He took the box out of the bag and my heart almost stopped.

"I tend to spoil her." Jimmy commented with Inuyasha, who smiled and nodded, like he was ready to punch Jimmy in the face.

I honestly don't know _how _I noticed this, since I was already in a sacred and intense ritual of unwrapping the beautiful orange box, peal away the silk paper and looking at the purse of my dreams.

Nude. Beautiful. Smelling like angels.

My very own Birkin. Finally.

"Do you like it, darling?"

I looked at him, almost crying.

"Are you crazy? I love it, of course I do! But you didn't have to-"

"Oh, nonsense." He waved my argument off.

"Jimmy, really, I don't know what to say, I-"

"Say 'thank you, darling', and just enjoy it." He winked at me.

I chuckled, squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek. I told you, guys.

Filthy. Rich.

"Thank you, darling."

After that, Jimmy and Inuyasha struck on conversation. No, they did not become friends. No, they did not like each other. I could see, from little glances I spared them while admiring my new baby (I HAVE A BIRKIN, BITCHES! STEP THE FUCK ASIDE!) that while they talked like two gentlemen, they looked at each other like they were ready to draw guns and shoot one another in the forehead.

And, excuse me, people, but I couldn't help but feel _great. _

I mean. I had just had a great meal, I had just won a freaking Birkin, the man of my dreams and my ex fiance were in a middle of a cold war because of me, and I had chocolate mousse to eat.

Birds flying high, you know how I feel.

"Oh, heavens. Look at the time, darling, we are going to be late." He waved for the waiter to bring the check and got up. "Excuse me while I use the facilities." He got his credit card and put it on the table in front of me. "On me, sweetheart. Don't you dare." And then he walked out.

It was just me and Inuyasha again.

"Ex fiance, huh? You never told me about that."

"There's a lot we don't know about each other, Inuyasha. Was I supposed to have mentioned him before?"

"No, not 'supposed to'. But I'd like to have known."

He was wearing his smoldering look again, looking at me like he could see deep in my thoughts.

And I think we were both thinking the same thing. We were thinking about forgetting about Jimmy, Kikyou, work and real life and just run away from the world, to a place where nobody would find us and we would be alone, falling for each other everyday a little more, and me, him, my Birking and my shoes would live happily ever after.

Or maybe it was just me, and all he wanted was to make out a little before going back to his office and then spend the night planning the wedding with the Stick.

That's probably it.

Hey. At least he wanted to make out, huh?

Yeah, I know.

"Well," I said after the waiter gave me back Jimmy's card. "I have to go. It was a pleasure."

"Was it?" He got up too. "I have a much different definition of pleasure."

I looked at him, and sure enough. Mr. Smoldy Pants.

"Excuse me. Send my regards to Kikyou."

He just smiled more, like he thought my comment was funny.

"Ready, darling?" Jimmy arrived, put his hand on my waist and got the huge Hermés gift bag from me. I had already put the contents of the Prada I wore this morning (which I still love, don't worry) on my new baby, it was now hanging from my arm beautifully. "Mr. Taisho, nice to meet you."

"Likewise" the shook hands and I thought they would bite each others ears off.

They didn't. Which was good.

I didn't want blood spilling on my Birkin.

.:.

After the weird _slash _wonderful lunch, I found out I still am capable of being a good person, because when I ran into Rin on the elevator and she looked like shit, I was totally capable of feeling good for her.

I mean, it was so obvious what she had done during lunch.

When I walked into the elevator, she was there, holding her purse in front of her, her eyes closed, head resting on the wall, her expression tired. I smiled and waited for the door to close, glad nobody walked in. She didn't even hear me walk in.

"Had a nice lunch, Rin?"

She opened her eyes, stood up straight and took her hand to her face.

"Oh, Kagome! I didn't see you there! How..." Pause for a looooong yawn. "Oh, excuse me. How are you?"

"I'm good, sweetie. What about you? Why so tired?"

"Oh, my goodness. I _am _so tired! Sesshoumaru hasn't been letting me sleep since last wee-" She stopped herself when she realized she was spilling the beans. "Oh, I mean. I've been very tired. I've been working very hard, and my cousin's baby is a handful, cries all night, I can barely-"

"You don't have girl cousins, Rin. Only a very much older than you, very male cousin you don't see since he went to live in the middle of the Atlantic forest with his wife and the Hare-Krisna community he met at McDonald's."

She looked at me, surprised.

"How in the world do you know that?"

"You tend to talk a lot while having manicures. But tell me." I nudged her in the arm with my elbow. "Sesshoumaru had been very demanding of you, huh?"

She sighed.

"Well, he- _Oh! _Is that a Birkin?" She pointed at my arm.

"It _is_!" I said, excited. "Do you like it?"

"I _love_it! Great choice of color!"

"Thank you. But don't change the subject."

She sighed again and tried to come up with something.

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Rin. He's delicious, I'd be enjoying him too, if I were you."

She tried to hide a smile. And then she turned her head to me.

"Oh, Kagome! I so needed to talk to someone about him!"

"Than talk, girl! I'm all ears." I caressed my bag, because it was the only love I had in my life in the moment, bracing myself for the flood of romance that was about to be dumped on me.

"He is so perfect! He takes me out to dinner every night. And he's always calling me, with that voice of his. _'How are you, my love? Do you need me for anything?'. _So thoughtful. He never lets me pay, for anything. Never. He just looks at me with that face and promises me I'll get to pay next time. Haha! He's amazing, Kagome. You have no idea."

"And have you met his family yet?"

"I have! His father is lovely! A very handsome man. All fit and everything. Very nice and intelligent. The man is a walking encyclopedia."

"Very like Sesshoumaru, huh?"

"Yes, but he is warmer than Sessh. Smiles a lot."

"And his mother?"

"Well, his real mother died when he was six years old. Inuyasha's mother raised him like he was her own."

The elevator finally opened it's doors (it's a tall building, and with all the stops, you can be there for a while), we got out and I followed Rin to her office.

"Inuyasha's mom?"

"Yes, she met Sessh's mother in college, and came to town when she heard about her passing. From what I gathered, it was love at first sight. Sesshoumaru really likes his step mom. Sometimes, when he thinks I'm not listening, he calls her 'mom'. It's very sweet."

"And... Doesn't Inuyasha get jealous?"

"Oh." She rolled her eyes, with a smile. "He does, but he'll never admit it to save his life."

"And do you have a lot of contact with... Sessh's family?"

"Well, we have a lot of dinners at his parent's house. Last time it was one day before Inuyasha's birthday. They are fun, except for when Inuyasha brings that thing he likes to call a fiancee with him."

Hmm. Interesting.

"She is so annoying. If we let her, she won't shut up. All she can talk about is how this hotel in Greece is beautiful, and how the one in Venice is very nice. She goes to all these amazing places and all she talks about is the hotels. She's been to Paris countless times and has never set foot on the Louvre, can you believe it?"

"Wow."

"It's _so _funny when Inuyasha's mom does an impression of her. I always make a point to help her with whatever she needs at the dinners, just so I can hear her jokes on Kikyou. She's very funny, Mrs. Taisho."

"She doesn't like K- His fiancee?"

"No. Can't stand her. And rightfully so. She says Inuyasha was drunk and high when he proposed, and must have a secret stash of hallucinogens to be able to stomach Kikyou. I mean, they've been engaged for a year and a half, and for almost one year, they have been having problems. Nobody understands why he doesn't just break up with her already."

"Yeah. I mean, if his family doesn't like her..."

"Exactly." Rin turned her computer on and turned to me again. "But, here between us." She looked around her, which was ridiculous, because it was just the two of us on her office. "Inuyasha has moved on."

I tried not to grab her desk and beg her to explain. Poker face and all.

"What do you mean?"

"He's been weird lately. Sessh told me he rolls his eyes every two minutes whenever Kikyou is rambling. He never did that before. On the contrary, he used to drink in every word she said, he was kind of leashed. But it seems like lately..." She stopped talking and started looking for something inside her purse.

"Lately _what_, Rin, for the love of God?"

She looked at me, frowning.

"Why are you so interested?"

"Oh, just tell me. You got me all curious."

"Lately, it looks like there is another woman."

"Another woman?"

"Yes. And he won't talk about her. Nobody know who she is. Miroku knows her, and so does Sessh, but he won't admit anything.

Sesshoumaru knows? And Miroku? I'm so embarrassed! I had no idea Miroku knew about us!

I mean. If this woman is indeed, me.

Oh my God. Maybe Inuyasha has _another _woman. Jesus! What a womanizer! No wonder he and Miroku are friends!

"Anyway. This woman showed up in his life, and all he can do is talk about how great she is every Monday, when he and Sessh have dinner with their parents. They have asked him who is this woman a thousand times, and he just brushes it off, says it's a friend. Sesshoumaru thinks it's this blond from work. She's a new layer there, and apparently can't keep her eyes from Inuyasha."

I deflated like a balloon.

"From work? How is he sure?"

"Well, you don't know Inuyasha very well, he isn't very good on social skills. Can be kind of rude. And when he's not interest in someone, he just ignores them. With this blond, apparently, he is all politeness and smiles. Sesshoumaru says they are always coming back from lunch together. He thinks they're doing it."

Man. MAN! This is so typical I'm surprised I didn't see it coming. And I mean, If I had a fiancee like Kikyou, I would have at least five on the side, too.

That's a lie. I would break up with her, because it's the right thing to do.

Just... UGH! I'm so mad at him right now!

I had to control myself not to throw the first thing I saw at the wall, which happened to be Rin's autographed photo with Rupert Grint. First, because it would be really suspicious. Second, the poor frame has nothing to do with it. Third, Rin would murder me. She loves Ron. Her ring tone is "Weasley is our King". Yeah.

"Well. It was lovely to chat, Rin, but I have to go. I have a ton of work."

"Yes, me too. And I actually have a few drafts I'd like you to see. Can I come by your office when I'm finished?"

"Of course. I'll be waiting."

"Ok. Maybe we can grab a coffee later. I missed talking to you."

Sure, Rin. Just make sure the next piece of gossip won't leave me heart broken.

.:.

"Do you think you got it?" Jakotsu asked, letting go of Kikyou's waist. Today he was trying to teach her how to waltz.

It has been a disaster so far.

"I guess so. It's a bit complicated, huh?" She asked, putting her hair in a pony tail.

"Not when you practice. Now, let's go. On my count."

But before he could start counting, there were three little knocks on the door.

"Come in!" Kikyou asked.

Jo, the governess, came in and spoke.

"Mr. Taisho is here to see you, dear."

My planner almost fell from my hand, but I managed to get it in time, but I did tangle my foot on the strap of a Bebe dress (a horrible one) that was on the floor of her closet, on the "Burn! Burn it yesterday!" pile. Nothing on the world could hold Jakotsu's yelp of surprise.

"Oh! Hello, honey!" Kikyou walked toward him, held him by the neck and kissed him. He smiled at her, and I could see he was tired. I could see them through the glass wall of the closet.

I remembered my conversation with Rin and I know I should be mad, but he just looked so good, and I just _wanted _him so much the anger gave space to longing and suddenly I was all sad again.

It was funny, though, to see his face when he saw Jakotsu standing there on Kikyou's bedroom.

"How are you, sweet cheeks?" Jakotsu walked to him and planted a kiss on each of his cheeks. I had to take my hand to my mouth so I wouldn't laugh out loud.

"Hey, man... What are you doing here?"

"Jakotsu is teaching me how to dance! Isn't it great?" Kikyou answered his question and held on to his right arm. For some reason, I walked further into the closet, hiding. He hadn't seen me yet.

"Really? Dancing?"

"Yes, yes, dancing. And we still have a lot of work to do if you want to learn" Jakotsu said. "So come on. Let's continue."

He hit 'Play' on the stereo and the music resumed.

"And one, two, three, one, two, three, spinning! Almost! Again, let's go."

They practiced the spinning move she seemed to be having trouble with, while Inuyasha watched, a little confused. I was still kind of hiding, seeing what I could do for Kikyou's shoes.

"Ok, sweetie? The right foot has to _slide,_ see?"

"Don't you think it's best if we skip this part? I can't do it!"

Poor thing, she sounded frustrated.

"No, of course not. Now, let me see. What you need is..."

"A new teacher?" Inuyasha suggested, sitting on a love seat by the closet, his back to me, thank God.

"Oh, don't be rude!" Kikyou scolded.

"Oh! But of course! That's it!" Jakotsu clapped his hands twice. "Kagome!"

Inuyasha lifted his head from his phone and looked at Jakotsu, a little spooked.

"What do you mean?"

Please, please, Jakotsu, no.

"How didn't I think of this before? Kagome is perfect!"

God please no!

"But, what- Kagome? Higurashi?" Inuyasha asked.

Jakotsu looked at him like he was a bug. A very stupid one.

"Of course, Higurashi. Do you know another one?"

"Do you think Kagome can help with that?" Kikyou asked.

"Have you seen Kagome dance? She moves like an angel. She's perfect. Kagome! Can you come out here, please?"

"What, she's _here_?"

Damn it.

I walked out of the closet and he looked at me like I was a ghost or something.

"I need you, angel. Come here and show Kikyou how to spin properly, will you?"

"Me?"

"Yes, princess, you. Come. Kikyou, pay attention."

Jakotsu held me and guided me when the music started again. I spinned when it was time.

"That's it! Did you see that? How she let her right foot slide after the left one?"

"I think I did"

"Ok. One more time, just so you can be sure, and then we'll try again."

I spinned again and Jakotsu clapped.

"Thank you, dear. Come on, Kikyou."

I smiled at them and turned to go back to the closet. I found Inuyasha standing up, smiling like he was confused out of his mind.

"I... Didn't know you'd be here."

"I know you didn't. How are you?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought you already knew I'm helping Kikyou with her clothes."

"What about your fiance? He left already, I'm assuming."

"He's not my fiance."

"Not for the lack of trying. He seemed very eager towards you."

"We are friends, Inuyasha."

"He did seem really _friendly._"

I looked at him.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you're jealous."

"What if I am?" He lowered his voice.

"If you are, I recommend you spend a little more time with your bride."

He looked at me like he wanted to reply, but he didn't.

It hurt saying that, but I had to. Seriously, where did he get off?

"It's better. Here, let's have a test. Taisho, come here, please."

He took his eyes from me and looked at Jakotsu.

"Come here. I want you to sway with her for a bit, so I can see."

"Me? Nuh uh, no. Not gonna happen."

"Inuyasha, stop being so stubborn! Come on! I want to see if I'm learning!"

Kikyou pulled him by the arm and made him stand in front of her, arranging his arm around her waist.

"Alright. Lets go very slowly at first, ok? The basics. Aaaaand" He hit the music. "One, two, three, One..."

I had danced with Inuyasha once, but to actually see him move around Kikyou's huge bedroom was something else. It was... Sexy. He was so manly. He really knows how to dance, which is rare nowadays. He has posture, presence, he leads perfectly. It's a shame Kikyou was so insecure, it would have been a beautiful sight.

"It's better, way better, Kikyou. But there's still something missing, like... Like fire, and..."

Jakotsu's words lingered in the air. And suddenly, he turned his head towards me. And then Inuyasha. And then me again.

Jesus Christ, Jakotsu would be the death of me.

"Kagome, you... Ok. Both of you, here. Come on." He snapped his fingers on both hands, one on my direction, the other on Inuyasha's.

We walked to where he indicated, Kikyou sat on the love seat Inuyasha was occupying before.

"You know how to tango, don't you, Taisho?"

"Yes, he does! Very well, too!" Kikyou answered him. "He made my cousin lose her breath on her wedding day, when he danced the tango with her. It was amazing."

"Wonderful. I want you to lead Kagome. Can you do that?"

He looked at me and shot me the Grin. Right there in front of Kikyou.

"Sure. It'll be my pleasure."

Oh, damn.

Jakotsu hit the button on the remote and the first notes came. He offered me his hand and I took it. He held me by waist and soon we were gliding around, his hands were firm and sensual on me, not holding back for Kikyou's benefit. His face came millimeters from mine from time to time, and his eyes told me everything I wanted to know, everything I wanted to hear.

We never rehearsed, or agreed on our movements, we just knew. He knew how to handle me, and I knew how to follow, and where to turn.

Soon, my hair had untangled itself from the bun I had arranged it, and soon, I was panting and he was grabbing and it was so cliche, so corny, but _man_, it was so hot.

He told me things and I told him things and we swore, we promised. We loved each other. Without a word or a kiss. Just by touch.

He was mine. And I was his. That's how intense it was.

It was just when Kikyou and Jakotsu got up from their seats and started clapping, that I realized the position we were in. I had my back pressed very firmly against his chest, his face was pressing on my neck, while one of his arms secured me by my waist, keeping me pressed against him, his other hand on my thigh, pressing.

Jesus.

"That's it! That is it! That's what I want! Passion, anger, jealousy, sin, love! Heavens you two just gave me a new reason to live!"

We untangled from each other. I didn't have the guts to look at him.

"Oh my God!" Kikyou walked to him. "Inuyasha, I had no idea you were this good! Look! I have goose bumps all over me!" I could hear it in her voice. She was thrilled with the possibility of being conducted like that one day.

"Sweet heavens, dear." Jakotsu whispered to me, while I worked on catching my breath. He was suddenly very serious. "I knew there was something between you two, but I had no idea it was so..."

"What are you talking about, Jakotsu?"

"I'm talking about what just happened here. It was so..."

"It was nothing, stop it. You asked us to dance, so we danced. That's it."

"Kagome, please. If there are two things I understand in this life, it's dance and love. And from what I just saw..." He smiled like he was trying to make me understand, without any real humor. It as freaking me out, I had never seen Jakotsu so serious on all the years I knew him.

"Stop it, Jakotsu. There's nothing going on between us. We just like each others faces, that's all. Is physical."

"Stop denying it to yourself, sweetie."

"Kagome! What a surprise! Why didn't you tell me?" Kikyou came in my direction.

"Why didn't I tell you what?"

"That you are an extraordinary dancer! That was beautiful! It was like a movie, only better!"

I smiled at her.

"Thank you. Excuse me, I'll go get some air, to catch my breath."

I walked out of the room as fast as I could, walked through the labyrinth of halls and finally managed to get to the front door. The butler opened the door for me.

I walked towards the garden, and felt a shiver run through my body, I don't know if it was the chilled air of the memory of his body against mine.

I took deep breaths and inhaled the fresh night air. Damn it, why did I have to be so sensible to his touch? I hadn't fallen like this for someone since... I don't know, I think never. Did I have to fall for the guy who is taken? And who likes to sleep with women all around Manhattan?

Stupid heart.

"Stupid..."

"I'm sorry if I danced this bad, Kagome."

Perfect. Just perfect.

"I'm trying to get some air, Inuyasha. The party is upstairs. There's nothing interesting going on here."

"Oh, I'll have to disagree with you." He walked towards me and stood by my side. "I was glad to see you today. I missed you already."

"Oh, please." I walked on the opposite direction.

"What? You don't believe me?

"I'm having a little difficulty, yes."

"Kagome." He took my hand and made me look at him. I found his face serious. "You're different. What happened?"

"Oh, no. Nothing." I tried to smile, but I'm sure my face came off as bitter.

"No? Then why are you so cold towards me?

"I'm cold?"

"You are. Since that day in the restaurant. I've been calling you. Did you get my messages?"

Yes I have. 36 messages on my voice mail.

"I'm sorry, I've just been so busy, I haven't had time to check them."

He looked me in the eyes.

"Let me take you to dinner tomorrow. Nobody deserves to be this stressed."

"Oh, no. I don't think that's a good idea."

"And why not?"

"Well, let's see." I put my finger on my chin, like I was thinking hard. "I think Kikyou wouldn't like that very much."

"She doesn't have to know."

Wrong answer.

Do men really think that argument works on women? I mean, I know some of us go out with taken men, but come on! We are not all like this! I am not like this, and I think I made it clear already, didn't I?

"Inuyasha, I'm not going to dinner with you behind Kikyou's back. That would be wrong."

"It would only be wrong if something happened between us, and you know what?" He took a step forward, invading my personal bubble. "I don't even care."

It would have been great if he had said that with a serious expression. I would think he was willing to actually do something to fix this mess. Like break it off with her and be with me, for real. But he was smiling. Smiling like he was saying "Let's be naughty."

What a jerk. If this kept going, soon he would want us all to go out together. Him, me, Kikyou, and the woman from his office.

I was about to come up with a cool thing to say to him when Jo came running from the house.

"Mr. Taisho! Come quick! It's Kikyou!"

We looked at her.

"She twisted her foot, trying a dance move. A spin, I'm not sure. Her ankle is already swollen!"

"Oh, God!" I said. "This could be serious! Have you called a doctor?"

"Yes, he is on his way here now."

"Inuyasha, we should-" I turned his head to tell him we should immobilize her foot, but he had already disappeared back in the house.

I sighed, resigned. Of course he should run to her side, to see how she was. But something inside me told me he wouldn't run like that if... Well, if he didn't love her. Dude practically left me there speaking to myself.

So Jo and I walked back into the house, after Inuyasha. We got to the bedroom and found Jakotsu standing in front of the bed, shaking his head. Inuyasha was already immobilizing her foot, seating on the edge of the mattress. Her expression was of pain.

Exactly. What was there for me to do? Sit there and hold her hand? Cry? Yell for help? What?

"Kagome." She called me.

"Yes?"

"How in the world can you do that? It's so very difficult! I-"

She was still talking, but Inuyasha took her hand.

"Be quiet now, baby. Try not to move, ok?"

BAM! Gun shot number one, right through my chest.

Baby? Wasn't he the one who was sicker of her everyday?

"Ok..."

"To answer your question," Jakotsu said. "Kagome can do that because she had training. She's almost a professional. You just started practicing today."

"I know I shouldn't try it on my own, it's just, I wanted to see if I could do that. She made it look so easy."

"Honey, look at me." Inuyasha got her face and made her look at him. "Try not to move your foot, you have to stay very still." He got close and pecked her on the lips. "Ok?"

BAM. Shot number two.

Right after that, the butler came in with who, I learned later, was the family doctor.

He examined her, and after one or two minutes, he concluded that she must have cracked her calf bone.

How in the _world _she managed to do that, was beyond me.

So, with the help of the doctor and Jo, Inuyasha carried her downstairs and to the car, so she could be taken to the hospital.

Me and Jakotsu got into my car. We would go with them to the hospital.

"Let me tell you something." Jakotsu said, the minute I pulled away from the parkway. "She did this on purpose."

I snapped my head on his direction.

"_What? _Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm not. Believe me, sweetie, she knew exactly what she was doing."

"That's ridiculous, Jakotsu."

"Is it? When you left the room, Inuyasha couldn't think of a decent excuse to go after you. He just left one minute later, saying he was going to get some water, but it was so obvious he was going after you."

I tried to process that information. That's just crazy.

"And Kikyou was clearly uncomfortable. Kept looking at the door, like she was expecting him to come back. When he didn't, she just went and threw her weight on her foot. Believe me, it was very deliberate. She wanted to get Inuyasha back to her side."

"Oh, my God, Jakotsu, are you sure?"

"Of course I am. I've seen people fall while dancing countless times to know when an accident is staged. This bitch is diabolical."

Man. I couldn't believe it. If this was true, I was seriously underestimating Kikyou.

And I remembered, back in my apartment, when I told Inuyasha about this whole arrangement, he said it wasn't the first time she's done something like this. So she's used to pulling little stunts to get his attention.

Damn. Crazy bitch.

When we got to the hospital, Kikyou was already being seen by a nurse and a doctor. They took her to a room and Inuyasha went with her, me and Jakotsu waited in the lobby.

After a good ten minutes, Inuyasha came back, followed by a doctor.

"After the exams get here, we'll be able to say more, but I'm pretty sure she cracked her bone. She'll have to wear a cast to prevent it from breaking."

"Ok." Inuyasha offered.

The doctor kept telling Inuyasha some details, when a man in a black suit came walking in his direction.

"Excuse me, doctor? Do you have any information on my friend?"

We all looked at the new guy. Jakotsu nudged me on the ribs with his elbow.

Relax, buddy, I've seen him too.

Dark hair, very blue eyes, tall and strong. The mas was very, very handsome. He noticed we were all looking at him, and stopped talking. His eyes landed on me.

Oh, hello there, sparkles.

"Ah, yes, Agent. He's out of surgery now. I'll walk you to his room." The doctor gave Inuyasha a piece of paper, which I imagine was a prescription.

"She'll be fine, don't worry. She's taking some X-Rays, so I can see the size of the damage, but I'm positive it's nothing major." Then he turned to me. "Your sister will be home in no time."

Wow. Hold up. My what?

"Uh, she's not my sister."

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that you look alike."

_WHAT?! _No. fucking. WAY!

Are you blind, good doctor? What the fuck is wrong with you? I do NOT look like Kikyou. Please.

Seriously, I do not.

The doctor went back to talk to Inuyasha, and the guy – the Agent, apparently – waited until they finished.

"Kagome!" Jakotsu got my arm. "Do you see what I see?"

"I do. Now shut up before he notices it."

"Are you stupid, sweetie? Don't you see the opportunity?"

"What opportunity?"

"_The_ opportunity! Of making Inuyasha jealous, giving him a taste of his own medicine! I mean, he is all "baby this" and "baby that" towards Kikyou, and then he sees you. That's just not right. Payback time."

I liked it. I really did.

"And how do you expect me to do that? You want me to throw myself at this stranger? I don't really do that, you know."

"I know. But all you need to do is be your fabulous self. Go, go!" He tapped me on the ass and pushed me towards the boys.

The nurse came rolling Kikyou on a wheel chair on that moment. Her foot was already on a cast.

"Oh, there she is, my talkative patient. How are you feeling?" The doctor said.

"Um, better, I think."

She had her standard bitter face again.

Jesus. How does anyone put up with this chick?

"How long will I have to wear this thing?" She asked.

"I'd say about four weeks, but it's very soon to tell. Maybe a little longer, maybe not. We'll see, ok?" He answered.

"Oh, this is just awful! I won't be able to dance!" She told Jakotsu.

And, after our little talk in the car, I could totally see.

She was so faking frustration.

She _so _set this whole thing up.

What a witch. And a bitch.

"And will I have to wear this thing the whole time?"

"We can change it for a boot later."

"Oh, those are awful! What am I gonna do, Kagome? I can't just go around wearing one of those!"

"Well," I said, trying no to break her _other _foot "That's different. People will know you're not wearing those on purpose, it's for a medical reason."

Stupid bitch. Duh!

"Honey! How am I going to show up at your parents anniversary with a medical boot?"

I looked at him just in time to see him clearly not trying to roll his eyes.

Ha. Yeah. That's what you get. I don't even feel bad for you.

"We'll figure something out." He said.

"Well, I should go. I want to see you next week, ok?" The doctor said to Kikyou. "See how that foot is healing. You take care. No dancing." He nodded at us. "Excuse me."

He started talking to the _Agent _and they walked away.

I looked at Jakotsu. He was already signaling for me to go after them with his head.

"I'm, uh... Excuse me, doctor?" I called after him, walking to him, away from our merry group of people.

They both turned to me.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to know, uh... Can you give me an estimate on how long she'll have to wear the cast?"

"Like I said. I predict a month, but it may be longer. It depends."

"Hmm. Ok. I was thinking about signing her in for some etiquette classes, so she could work on, mind you, her posture, walking and such. Guess I'll just have to postpone it."

He smiled at me.

"Oh, don't worry. She'll be able to take the classes once she's better."

"Can I know what types of medication is she on?"

I had no idea why I asked that, and I also couldn't think of an excuse to justify the question. I was just grabbing on something to make conversation and give the Agent guy a chance to see me. And maybe talk to me or whatever.

"I gave her fiance a prescription, he should be able to give you the details."

"Oh. Ok. I'm so sorry," I turned to the Agent and he raised his brows at me. "To keep interrupting you, it's just, I had some plans. I apologize."

He looked at me, like he was pondering something.

"No, don't worry. No problem." And then he smiled.

"Anyway, thank you. It was nice to meet you." I smiled, all nice and angelic.

He kept looking at me and hesitated.

"Say, would you like to have some coffee later?"

I made a surprised face, trying to hide my victory face.

"Oh. Sure."

"Ok, great!" He looked at the doctor, who was looking like he was bored and a bit impatient. "Can you wait here a moment? I just have to see this guy in my unit, he just got shot a few hours ago. After that we can go now, if you're free."

"I am."

Wow. Picked up a guy in a hospital. That's new.

"Alright. I'll be right back. I'm Agent Wolf, by the way."

"Uh... I'm Designer Higurashi." I joked.

He smiled at me and walked away.

I saw him and the doctor walk towards the guy's room and the whole thing was so Law and Order, only hotter, I was about to start freaking out, right then and there. The man was s_eriously_ hot.

I turned back and looked at Jakotsu's smug face, looking at me like I had just landed a major victory. He winked at me, turned back and walked away.

Inuyasha and the Stick were no where to be seen.

Well, to hell with them.

It actually was a great idea. Letting go of the whole Inuyasha drama for a while. Get some air, perspective. Maybe even move on completely. It would be good for everybody. Me, Inuyasha, Kikyou, the whole gang. Even Miroku and Sango, who wouldn't have to keep hiding information in order to protect my feelings. I knew she was doing that, because of the lack of questions.

After little over five minutes he came back.

"Ready?" He asked me, smiling again.

I nodded and smiled back.

Maybe you'll be surprise to find out I had a _really _good time. I was. I was actually expecting to be bored, but I wasn't.

He took me to a very nice pizza place, genuine Italian pizza, nearby the hospital. We talked about a lot of things over some great pepperoni and mozzarella and wine.

"See? That's what you get for talking sports with a girl." He fake complained.

"I disagree. That's what you get for talking sports with a sexist." I teased.

He laughed.

"We'll see after the championship if your enthusiasm about the Knicks will stick."

"It will. Your team has nothing, they're playing basically with a bunch of little boys."

"The Lakers team is a bunch of little boys?"

"Yes, they are." I smiled and sipped my wine.

"You know, you're the first woman I talk to that actually _knows _what she's talking about, and doesn't pretend to know – or care – more than she actually does."

"My brother is a bit of a fanatic, so I appreciate the value of court side tickets."

Our talk developed from there, the restaurant got a little crowded, we had to almost shout to hear each other.

(Oh! I didn't tell you the best part.

Wanna know what he does for a living?

He's an FBI Agent.

_I'm serious!_

He's a Special Agent. He deals with the international stuff, so he travels a lot. He had just moved to New York to command a new unit, but he couldn't tell me more because it was classified information.

How. Cool. Is that?)

Suddenly, some friends of his came over to say hi. They were a very fun group, so we ended up inviting them to join us. Kouga (that's his name, by the way. Kouga Wolf), who was sitting in front of me before, ended up by my side, telling me all about embarrassing/funny details of his friends lives. On my other side was this gorgeous woman. She was black, her eyes were green, and she was an Investigator. She was very funny, and told me she was getting a divorce. Guess why. Her husband turned out to be gay. It was an instant bond, right there.

Soon, after I had drank at least three glasses of wine, a folk rock band started playing, and one of his friends dragged me to the sudden dance floor the patrons shared with the waiters who tried to walk around with trays of pizza, drinks and what not. I danced with three different guys before Kouga managed to steal me away from them and have a dance too.

And you know what? I totally felt his gun on his holster.

H-o-t.

I was tipsy, I was full of delicious pizza in me, I was being complimented right and left, I was being held by a beautiful man of blue eyes and great black hair. Who had permission to carry a gun.

If was having a blast.

After I danced two of the band's original songs with Kouga, they started covering some known songs. The very first was "Me and Mrs. Jones". I rolled my eyes at the irony, but let myself enjoy the melody.

As the night progressed, I asked myself why I never came to hang out in Williamsburg. The Pizza place got impossibly crowded, the waiters and waitresses actually joined the party and danced a few songs, a few sang, I danced, I sang along.

By 1AM, me and Kouga's female friends were dancing by ourselves, singing along to the lyrics of songs like Avril Lavigne's "Complicated", Rihanna's "Umbrella", Natasha Bedingfield's "Pocketful of Sunshine", Kreesha Turner's "Bounce With Me", and so on. After a great cover of "Sexy Back", by Justin Timberlake (all the women in the place had a case of collective fan girling) and a very interesting one of "You Know I'm no Good", by Amy Winehouse, Kouga swayed by my side to the melodies of Tom Petty's "Free Falling", Ne-Yo's "Part of the List", Norah Jones' "Come Away With Me". Old songs that we take for granted, but made my night incredible. The band was amazing, the new friends were fun, the new boy... Hmm.

By 3 o'clock, I was feeling like a teenage girl that had found a new cool group to hang out with. I had nine new friends on Facebook, and we all followed each other on Instagram. I cannot tell you how many party-photos we filtered and posted. The tags #nightout, #partytime, #girls #friends and #girlpower were heavily abused.

I was, of course, in no condition to drive, so I shared a cab with Kouga, who lived in the Village. He promised he would come back with me the next day to rescue my car from the hospital's parking lot – and that he would make sure my stub was validated.

I don't know if it was all that wine and music and all that pizza, but that sounded sexy as hell at the time.

I realized, after I showered, got into my PJ's and answered Jimmy's text asking if I had gotten laid (he had gotten a room at The St. Regis, back in 5th Avenue), that my mind hadn't wandered towards Inuyasha that night, after I left the hospital. Not even once.

I slept as soundly as ever. And I danced in my dreams too.

My partner had black hair.

The two new voice mails went unnoticed until the next morning.

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**I know, I know. Kouga **_**Wolf**_**? UGH. I suck. You knew it was him before she said his fist name, didn't you? Tell me ll about it in a nice review ;-) (Or you can send me a Birkin. Was it too obvious I want one?)**


	7. Chapter 7

**You know, it's funny how a few of you manage to make me blush. Seriously. The stuff you say to me are not really true, but I love you guys for lying to me, anyway. Thank you, for all of you who take a little time to brighten my day with a review and make compliments that I don't deserve. You rock as hard as a rock.**

**For those who favorite and follow me, thank you. I'm glad you like this story. It's all for you. **

**But I do have a special place in my heart for my reviewers. **

**So I'm sorry to give you a shorter chapter, after that last one. But I do hope you like this one. It's an important part of the story. **

**On this one, I _really _want to know what you think. So do hit me up with a review and write me about it. **

**Much love,**

**Nat'**

* * *

**Guest (8/31/13): I wish we could all forget about these guys, right? And I also wish they could stop being so damn interesting ;-) I'm glad you liked it. Please give me your thoughts about this one. I'm dying to know!**

**Carolina: You know, I actually want to update everyday, but I think that would put a damp on the little mystery I manage to pull. AND, I don't want you to stop studying because of me, so I only update on weekends xD Glad you like it, sweetie. Now, read and tell me what you think about this one and then go back to your books ;-)**

**The Best Guest: Everyday? You flatter me. And I think you won't be disappointed in the future. A glimpse you want, a glimpse you'll have. Just stay tuned and I guarantee you'll be happy (I'm hoping). ;-** **

**g0ld3n: Your review almost brought a tear to my eye. Thank you so much! I certainly hope I don't disappoint! Thanks for sticking with me. I think you'll like this chapter. I _hope _you do, anyway. Your review actually convinced me to update today. I was going to update in the morning, but I read your comment and decided I didn't want to keep you waiting, because you are so sweet ^^' Kisses on your heart s2**

* * *

I was about to go crazy.

My phone was always ringing, Ann would come into my office in intervals of one minute to give me drawings, to get drawings, to give and get messages, to get fabrics and I swear, once, to cry.

It was chaos. It was a mess, and it was crazy.

It was Fashion Week.

It was beautiful.

But it was also a bit ridiculous, because it was New York Fashion Week, so people's minds went crazier than usual, which made them think something idiotic was going to be cool and trendy and _bold, _when it was just plain ugly.

And I had to deal with all that, on top of finishing up my own designs.

I had just told three interns why we would _not _have an "Under the Sea" theme.

Like prom.

Yeah. Right. Keep dreaming. This is not the Homecoming Committee, baby doll. Get real.

Miroku straight up laughed in my face when I told him that idea.

He was, at the moment, at the location of the show, finishing up the decorations and the lights and the arrangements, and Sango was supervising the whole thing, while Jakotsu practiced the round runway with the models.

Let me tell you something about the decoration. It's gonna be DA BOMB. I mean it.

There's a big – and I mean _big –_ globe on the middle of Central Park right now, like the size of a small whale. It's black and gold (my Golden design ended up pleasing a whole bunch of people, and those were the colors we were focusing on), and the runway is a way that goes around it and Miroku is a genius, because it's all so classy and BIG and beautiful.

I hung up the phone with my sewing wizard and sighed. It hadn't been four seconds, and the phone ringed again.

"Oh my God", I cried to Ann on the line, because it was like the thousand call she made me answer that day.

And also I was cranky because Jimmy had gone back to England that morning. I gave him a suit I designed as a gift for being so wonderful to me. He looked very very hot in it.

"_No, this time I think it's good news._" she told me. She sounded very tired. "_Mr.__ Wolf is here._"

I sighed.

"Send him in, please."

After I hung up, the door took like five seconds to open, he walked in and smiled at me. I honestly didn't have enough strength in my legs to get up, so I just smiled back. He walked to my desk, leaned in and kissed me.

It's been three weeks of dating. He's very good company. I love my time spent with him.

"Things are crazy here. Someone bumped into me downstairs, I think I still have some glitter on me."

"Glitter?!" I panicked. "Who has glitter?! _Nothing _is suppose to have glitter! Who bumped into you? Why did they have freaking _glitter _on them?"

"Hey, calm down." He sat down on the chair on front of my desk and lifted one of his palms. "They didn't have glitter, it was just a joke. Not a good one, apparently."

I relaxed, and tried to smile.

"Oh."

"Remind me not to joke on Fashion Week." He winked at me and my laugh was genuine this time.

He has been so good throughout all this. He met me on the worst time possible. I was trying to get over a guy, and I had to deal with the biggest event of my year. And yet he managed to show up to kiss me goodnight, every night.

"Things are crazy here, huh?"

"Gosh, they are." I rubbed my eyes. My make up had already gone to hell like three hours ago. "I'm about to go crazy."

"I came to pick you up for lunch. Can you afford to get out?"

"Well. In theory, no. There's only like nine thousand three hundred seventy five things I need to do..."

"That's very specific."

"But if I stay here one more minute I think my brain is going to melt and leak out of my ears. And don't tell me that's impossible, because I can feel it liquifying!" I pointed my finger at him. He smiled.

"I just have to go talk to my tailor, real fast, and then we can go. Can you wait one minute?"

"Sure, no problem. Do you mind if I use your computer?"

"Go ahead. Just don't erase any tabs, and don't close any files. And also don't play music, I need the one that's playing now to be on that exact moment, because if it isn't I won't be able to-"

"So I just won't touch your computer, then."

I smiled at him and got up to talk to my tailor.

I love my tailor, but I hate her office. It's always playing some weird opera, and while I'm a big fan of opera, the one's that she likes always gives me the creeps, like Death is coming to pick me up or something.

So after I finished talking to her, I hurried back down her hall, trying my best not to run.

Because I'm a terrible runner. As a child, I couldn't even jog, that I ended up on my knees, crying and bleeding.

But my grades were awesome!

Fine. They were ok.

Anyway. I was trying my best not to run, but I was definitely power walking, in my Salvatore Ferragamo stilettos, thinking about a big bowl of ice cream with hot chocolate fudge on top. I would _so _have that for dessert after lun-

BOOM.

Bumped into a hard chest, bounced, ended up with my shoulder hitting a wall, hard.

"Oh, how I _love _to bump into you, 'Gome."

Yes. _Him._

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to Miroku."

"He's not here."

"Yeah, I figured that out. Can you please look at me? I'm not Medusa."

I tried not to sigh irritated, and raised my eyes to his, that goddamn grin was there.

"Hi."

Still beautiful. Still perfect. Still- SHUT UP.

"Miroku's office is all the way upstairs, though. What are you doing _here_? Are you lost?"

"No, I'm not lost. I was with Sesshoumaru."

"Your brother's here?"

"Yes, he came to see Rin. Can we please not talk about him?"

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk about you."

Aw, crap.

I have to admit. Kikyou is a lucky, _lucky _bitch.

Yes. Kouga is great. I'm very happy with him, he makes me laugh, he's sweet and everything. I don't how he is in the sack, we hadn't slept together yet. No time. He's an FBI Special Agent, head of a whole division and I'm in the middle of Fashion Week. _No time_. But he's good on making out. For real.

But only one look at Inuyasha and my legs were jelly and my hands were twitching to get rid of clothes. I swear. He made me hot and cold and I shivered all over and _ugh! _

Don't even get me started on the making out thing.

Comparing him and Kouga is like comparing Henry Cavill to Harry Styles. Not fair.

"Well, I can't right now. I gotta go. Excuse me." I started to walk past him, but he caught up with me.

"You've been very formal, lately. I thought we had crossed that line."

"How's the Mrs? Is her foot better?"

And well. _Touché. _

"Do we have to talk about Kikyou?"

"Yes, we have to talk about her. Tell her I said hi. See you."

I walked inside the elevator and didn't look at him as the doors closed.

The nerve. The day Kikyou got hurt was still very fresh in my mind. One minute he was trying to seduce me, to have some fun. The other, he was calling her baby and what not, spoiling her and drooling over her.

AND! There was still the office chick. The third one.

What. A. Jerk.

.:.

So Kouga and I went to lunch. I was a bit crankier after my encounter with Inuyasha, but I blamed it on a bunch of fashion terms he didn't understand. I was even crankier when I had to come back to the office by myself.

What happened was, the minute I was totally sliding my right foot up his leg under the table, all ready to go ahead and banish Inuyasha from my mind and heart forever, some crazed out guy called him, telling him that there was an emergency call, and they suspected some guy they've been chasing for a while now was involved in another murder.

All he could do was kiss me on the lips, very indiscreetly (because I'm very good at playing footsie) in front o everybody, promise he would make up for it later, and run of to catch a bad guy.

What could I do, right? I went back to the office to test models, get some dresses together, throw five entire gowns at the trash, start over, cry with emotion when the five new turned out to be better, approve stuff, help Rin, blah blah blah.

By the end of the day, I ran into Sango, who was coming back from the location, and she invited me to Miroku's birthday party, that was going to be celebrated Saturday, at the same day as their two months, one week and three days anniversary, but nobody else knew that. They would kind of "announce" their relationship at the party.

So here I am. In this discreet, but fabulous Alexander Wang blue dress, Chloé high heels, in the back of a cab with Kouga. The driver just got into Park Avenue, and I sighed.

I was not in a party mood.

.:.

Everything was very Miroku, with a Sango touch. Discreet, but present. His apartment had turned into some kind of night club – a very nice one. Loud music, blinking lights, all the ingredients of a big party.

When I asked Sango about the noise complaints, she said Miroku had soundproofed the walls.

Huh.

It looked like everybody was there. Rin, with Sesshoumaru always touching her. Holding hands, caressing her hair, kissing her face, resting his hand on the small of her back... Jakotsu had a date too, I didn't know him, but he told me he was the new Calvin Klein underwear model, and also that he was on Days of Our Lives.

A lot of people that worked with us were there too. Some girls looking all bitchy at Sango, who had been enjoying Miroku's almost undivided attention the whole night. He did not let go of her hand for not even a second. I could see how over the moon her was for being able to parade her around. It was very sweet.

The word was out, the gossip was hot, the girls were not pleased. I could only smile at my friend's happiness. She got her man.

You go girl.

Jennifer Anniston's personal assistant was there too.

And also Adam Levine. I took a photo with him, because he was wearing one of the shirts I designed.

He smells _really good_, you guys. And his smile can make you get lost inside your own mind. Our brief chat was amazing. I even decided that I would have his baby, is he asked me.

There were actually a lot of people. My not party mood was slowly fading, and as I introduced Kouga to the producer of Breaking Bad (he loved that show) I realized I was actually enjoying myself.

And then I saw Inuyasha. Of course, with Kikyou on his arm, still wearing the medical boot (the lunatic had actually broken her ankle on her desperation for Inuyasha's eyes. Talk about an attention whore). She was wearing the _worst _skirt she could possibly wear to try and hide the boot, along with a designer shirt, that was actually cute, but _not _with that outfit.

Yes. I have managed to teach her nothing.

He smiled and started to walk towards me, but stopped when Kouga arrived and kissed me, thanking me for introducing him to such cool people.

"Oh, hey, man." Kouga offered his hand to Inuyasha, who took it, but had his mean lawyer face on. "You were at the hospital that day. I'm Kouga Wolf."

"Inuyasha Taisho."

I wanted to laugh out loud, really. Instead I just snuggled against Kouga a bit more, and Inuyasha looked at me like he was _mad._

Oh, joy.

Kikyou smiled at me like she was happy to see me, but I saw right though her. She was actually saying "Hey, whore. How are you doing, not enjoying my fiance's attention?"

I smiled back, mentally answering "Oh, great, thank you. _My_ man's got a gun. Do you want me to show it to you? Maybe I can shoot all the extra oil off your hair."

It was very pleasant.

Inuyasha and Kouga were actually talking, about legal stuff.

That was boring, and I didn't want to be around the pretty couple, so I squeezed Kouga's hand and asked if he wanted to dance.

He smiled at me, excused himself with Inuyasha, and pulled me to where people were dancing.

Miroku and Sango were dancing too, but they seemed to be very into each other, not noticing the people around them.

"You know", Kouga said while swaying with me. "I wasn't able to forget our lunch."

I smiled, playing coy.

"Really? Did you like the food that much?"

He pressed me harder against him.

"I don't remember the food at all. But I have an idea." His hand slid up and down my back, his face came closer, and he said, in my ear. "What if we leave, go to my place or yours, order something and just... Enjoy ourselves." I caressed his hair and his hands went lower, grazing my hips, pressing a little. "Naked."

"Hmm. That's a good idea."

"But we'd have to leave, like, right now, because I wouldn't have much time. I'm on call tonight."

I sighed.

"Again?"

Seriously, I was getting frustrated. Every time we got in the mood for some action, work got in the way.

"I know, sorry, babe."

"I didn't know dating an FBI Agent was such work. You almost don't have time for me."

"Well, you started dating me in a busy time. We're about to catch this guy. And believe me, all I want is tell the Bureau to go fuck itself and-" he interrupted himself, squeezed my waist really hard and groaned, kissing me next.

"How much time do you have until you have to be there?"

He checked his watch.

"Maybe two hours."

"That's not a lot of time."

"I know, I know" He kissed me again, like he was about to lose it and attack me right then and there.

"So here's the thing. When we actually _do it_, I don't want to rush, and I certainly don't want to let go of you, so you can go to work. I want to hold on to you." He groaned and pressed my waist against him again. "So you should go to work, and we'll talk tomorrow."

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone."

I caressed his hair and his neck, and when he looked at me, I smiled, urging him to calm down.

"I am. And don't worry, I'll behave."

"Oh, I know you will, I just don't trust a certain dude who was about to eat you with his eyes."

I tensed.

"Who are you talking about?"

"That dude, what's his name?"

"I don't know, what dude?"

"The singer one. Aidam Lavigne."

Oh. I sighed.

"Adam Levine?"

"Yes."

"Oh, come on. He was _not_."

"He was."

I tried not to smile.

"Was he, really?" I failed.

He looked at me, annoyed.

"Yes. Don't look so excited."

"Well, I can't help it! I have all of his albums. I'm a fan since his "This Love" video, when he was too thin and too white an didn't have tattoos."

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Anyway. Don't worry about him. He has a fiancee now, a Victoria's Secret model. He doesn't want anything to do with me."

He looked back at me, and appeared to accept my argument.

We danced a little more, I swatted his hand when he tried to grope me (we were in public. Come on), kissed him goodbye when he had to go, and told him to be careful with the heavy rain that was falling since that morning and watch out for bad guys.

After he left, I talked a bit more to Mr. Levine (and no, he was not looking at me full of intentions. He was just being nice—and handsome, very handsome), and we actually danced together to one song. He's a funny guy. Funny and very hot and good smelling.

After that I headed for the bar, to find something to drink. I found Ayame perched up in one of the stools, a little dizzy, a drink in her hand.

"Oh, Kagome. Can you _believe _men?" She complained to me. "I mean, one minute they're all over you, and then, in a blink of an eye, there's another chick on the fight. I mean, _what the hell_?"

"Tell me about it." I ordered one Miroku's special drinks, and started to bitch about men with Ayame.

Fun night.

.:.

I woke up afraid to open my eyes. And I think that, because of the lack of vision, my body had to do it's best to identify the surroundings.

Judging by the cold and the noise, it was still pouring rain outside. I had a heavy duvet on top of me, and I was naked.

That wasn't very unusual, sometimes I slept in the nude. It happens when you live alone.

I squeezed my eyes, trying to remember last night.

I remember drinking a bit more than I'm used to. The talk with Ayame was very fun. It's nice to trash men once in a while.

I was laughing my ass off with her, over some joke that I don't remember, the bar tender actually laughing with us, when everything went dark and silent. One seconds later, people went all "Uuuuh!".

There was a black out because of the rain.

People didn't know what to do, until Miroku got a microphone that was still working somehow and said, in a deep, sexy voice:

"What's up, everybody?"

People actually cheered him, and he started to ask us to wait until his people figured out what to do about the power.

I was still sitting on bar stool when I felt my drink being taken from my hand, and my arm being pulled, forcing me away from my seat.

It turned out to be Inuyasha, dragging me to the kitchen, that was empty, the catering people were all out checking what was up.

"Ok," He said. "I don't know what you're trying to do. Whatever it is, it's working."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, leaning on a table, trying to see what was it that I had stepped on when I entered the kitchen. I looked like a pig in a blanket.

"I'm talking about that erotic show you put up with the FBI guy a while ago."

I looked at him.

"I'm sorry, what?"

There was very little light, the only source coming from the window. But I could see he was looking at me, and his face wasn't friendly.

"First is that joke of a doctor, Houjo. Then there's that stuck up British prince, and now an FBI agent that looks like a lumberjack. Come on, Kagome."

Oh, that is _precious_!

"First of all, don't call Jimmy stuck up. Second of all, Kouga does _not _look like a lumberjack. And third, what's wrong with you?"

"There's nothing wrong with me. I just don't see why you make a point of dating either assholes or annoying punks, that's all."

"Wait a minute." I raised my hand to stop him. "Are you actually trying to criticize my choice in romantic prospects?"

"Of course I am."

"Where do _you _get off?"

"I could answer that," he took a step closer to me. "But I suspect you won't approve of my answer."

"Excuse me?"

The freaking _nerve _on that man! God!

"Why are you pretending there's nothing going on between us?"

"Because there isn't!" I had to control myself not to raise my voice too much.

"Ah, yeah, that was my mistake." He looked up, like he was thinking, smiling all sarcastic. "We never kissed, did we? I imagined all that. I never pressed you against me and you never sighed my name, right? Yeah, that was all imagination, I'm sure." He took another step in my direction, and suddenly he had an open palm in my stomach, holding me against the table behind me. No, really. "We _never _thought about each other in the middle of the night, did we?"

I was so shocked he was actually saying all that, it took a minute for my brain to work again.

"Even if all that happened, I will, yes, pretend it didn't-"

"You don't really wanna do that."

"-Because of the very real fact that you are engaged to be married. And I'm seeing someone else."

"Someone you would ditch for me, wouldn't you?"

My blood was about to boil, I was feeling so angry. I looked him square in the eye, my hand twitching to connect with his cheek, hard.

"Would you ditch Kikyou for me, Inuyasha?"

He didn't answer, just looked back at me, his face also very angry.

"That's what I thought." I shoved him to the side so I could pass and walked towards the door.

God! I was so angry I could punch him in the face!

And that damn pig in the blanket, that refused to leave my shoe sole! Damn it all!

Before I could open the door, though, he pulled me back by my arm.

"You may be able to pretend that nothing happened between us, but I am not. I can't _take it_ anymore."

He held my chin fiercely, and kissed me.

Oh shit, I swear to God, this man.

He's gonna kill me one of these days. I can see it.

I melted right away. And even if my brain screamed "_Get away form him! Get away from him, you idiot, get away!", _my body, look at that, didn't obey. Not even close to that. What it did do, was get a life of it's own, and throw my arms around his neck without my permission. My stomach must have been really happy, because it started dancing like a maniac, my heart appeared to be playing drums.

"Oh, God, let's just..." He said while holding me against him, his hand in my hair. "Forget everybody else for a while... Just for a moment."

Yes, I know. That's the default speech of the guys who have no intentions of leaving their girlfriends/fiancees/wives. I know there's no excuse for a woman to accept that excuse. But, on that moment, even my brain betrayed me, said "Screw it" and joined his traitor friends, doing his part and creating a very Rated R slide show of very indecent images of me and him.

Great body, huh?

And then I remember being led out of the kitchen wall, getting in an elevator, having a _serious _make out party in the elevator, and then being pushed inside an apartment by his body.

Everything was dark. It was very cold, but I was very hot, I could feel my cheeks warm.

When I was about to come to my senses, he did it. He just stopped kissing me and held me against him, hugging me so tight it was a bit hard for me to breathe. I could feel his heart pounding, maybe even harder than mine.

He tightened his hold even more, and breathed in my hair, inhaling deep. I thought about telling him I couldn't breathe, but I couldn't.

I mean, think about it. How may guys do you know that stop a major make out session just to hold you, in the middle of a dark living room? I don't now many. And, yes, I couldn't breathe, but it was such a warm, strong, secure embrace.

He then released me, looked me in the eye, and I saw it. He looked desperate.

He whispered something that I didn't understand, leaned down and kissed me, very tenderly.

And, in my heart, I little, tiny spark of hope was born. Maybe I'm not that bad, after all. Maybe he truly does like me a little.

And after that... Well. I can only hope The Stick's night was as good as mine.

That's a lie. I hope she has fallen down and couldn't get up.

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**Don't you dare go away without telling me what you think. That is mean and rude. And I will cry. Thank you love you bye.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm so sorry for the delay, you guys. Really, I am. But, there is an explanation. **

**I attended to the Rock in Rio festival this weekend. You must know, it's a huge event. I saw a few of my favorite artists from very close (Justin included. He _did _bring sexy back. Like, really), I screamed until my throat hurt and my voice vanished. I am mute right now, honest. All I can do is whisper. **

**And I did try to upload Friday, but things got a little crazy and I couldn't even revise the entire chapter. And when I came back home on Monday, my internet was going on and off, and I never had enough time to upload it. But, here I am with it now. **

**I hope you guys like this chapter, and excuse my little delay. I will post the next one this weekend, as I always do. So please, leave me a review to tell me how you liked it, I always love to know. **

**Thank you for understanding! **

**And! Most of you seem to like Kouga a lot more than I thought you would! Huh! That really surprised me! **

**Anyway. On with the chapter. **

**Much love, **

**Nat'**

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**Ai2000: I loved, loved, loved reading your input. I'm a sucker for the long reviews, so any time you wanna ramble, you're welcome to do so ;-) I'm so happy you pointed everything out the way you did. BUT, being so against spoilers like I am, all I can say is: All your questions WILL be answered. And I hope I can bring a smile to your face when you read the next chapters, but I also hope to make you gasp, just a little. I like to cause a reaction ;-D And GAAAH! I feel so bad! When you praise me for updating regularly, I go ahead and leave you hanging. So, so sorry. I'll try my best not to let it happen again. Thank you so much for your review, dear, I adored it. **

**g0ld3n: I do read all of them, and I do love you all for taking the time to comment. And your words never fail to make me smile. Thank you so much, for all that you said. You'll have to lend me that dictionary, because I don't know how to respond to that. So just know I appreciate it, from the bottom of my heart. S2**

**SailorKagome: DON'T FELL TENSE! Eat a cake or something, to go along with this one! I hope you like it! Let me know! ;-***

**Carolina: I'm glad I made you remmeber good times! That's my goal with this story: for it to be, even if just a little, familiar. For you guys to be able to read and and relate. Glad I managed so far xD Good luck with biochemestry! It was always a bitch to me, I hope you kick it's ass xD**

**guest (9/8/13): *Someone* is angry with Inuyasha xDD Glad to see you are getting involved, dear! Let me know what you think of this one! **

**BrunoMarsismine: Hello, dear! What an awesome comment! Bruno Mars? I'll work on it, promise. I guess you deserve it after such a nice review. Literature? Hardly. But I'm glad you think it's awesome. I think YOU'RE awesome, but anyway. Thank you so much for taking the time and commenting. ;-****

**The Best Guest: Oh no! I'm so sorry for leaving you hanging! Here's hoping this makes you a little happy! **

**Cheetahara: She's hilarious?! YAY! I always wanted to be hilarious, never managed. Glad I managed to write about someone who is. Thanks for the review, dear!**

* * *

When I gathered enough courage to open my eyes, I reacted as if I hadn't been there since last night. I haven't had... Well, _time _to notice the decoration.

It was a big room. I was on top of a very big bed, and there was a door ahead, a little to my right. There was a bedside table with a lamp and a book. Looking around, I saw a few paintings on the wall, some not hung, sitting on the ground, like a full body mirror, also resting against the wall, not hung. The walls had a dark blue wall paper, and a curtain blocking what looked like a door to a balcony. Right after the curtains, there was a space that was clearly the closet and an open door, to what I assumed was a bathroom.

It was clearly a man's room. Not too much, just the essential.

Getting up, I wrapped myself on the sheets and slipped in the bathroom to wash my face and rinse my mouth. Morning breath and face. Yuck.

Getting out of the room, I found a white corridor, and the top of some stairs.

Walking them down, the cold tiles hurt my feet a little. Looking at a nearby window, I saw that the uncharacteristic rain for that time of the year was still falling hard.

On the bottom of the stairs, I found a spacious living room, with most of the furniture white, with details in red of in polished steel. A huge TV set was perched in one of the walls, some comfy looking couches around it. Walking towards the coffee table in the middle, I sighed in relief when my feet met a plush white rug, very soft. There were some papers on the coffee table, and I angled my head to look at them.

My eyes went a little wide when I met pictures of myself.

I was dressed in a red and black pant suit, looking very posh. Beside the big photo of me, there was a text. I recognized it as a Vogue article from last year.

Moving the magazine aside, I saw another one. This time it was an Elle, and it was a photo of me, Sango and Rin, smiling on last years Fashion Week, beside Miucia and Donatella.

"Then tell him to spend one of two nights in there, since he doesn't need my help." I heard a voice behind me. Looking back, I saw Inuyasha coming from a door, wearing sweat pants and nothing else. "I don't really care. Leave him there a week, that's his problem. If he doesn't like, you can tell him to go fuck himself, and see how he likes it." He looked at me and grinned, evil as ever. "I gotta go. Don't call me until you fix this."

Hanging up, he put the phone on top of a table and moved towards me.

I could only stand there, all wrapped up in his sheets, and accept his kiss and embrace.

"I thought you were going to sleep in..." He caressed my hair. And then he kissed me some more. "Morning."

"I usually get up early. What is that?" I pointed to the coffee table.

He looked over my shoulder and chuckled.

"Me, trying my best not to be a stalker."

"Be serious."

"I am!" He looked me in the eye. "I meant it when I said you're all I could think about. I dug those up from my mom's collection."

I actually didn't know what to say. I just looked at him.

He kissed me again and I was shivering for everything but the cold.

"You want some coffee? I just made some."

"Oh, no, thanks. I don't have coffee in the morning."

"Tea? Hot cocoa? Milk? Pot of gold? You name it, I'll get it for you."

I smiled.

"No, thanks. I actually think I'll get dressed and, you know, go back home."

His smile vanished, and he frowned.

"Why?"

"Well, you know. I have to go back some at some point, don't I?"

He shook his head.

"No, you don't. You can stay here. It's raining. Stay, please. Stay forever."

Oh my God, what?

I was a bit stunned by his words, but also really relieved. If there's something I _never _want to go through, is having a guy desperate to get rid of me after a night together.

Apparently, he wanted me very close.

"Come on, let's eat something. There's this fudge cake my mother brought over yesterday, you'll like it."

And he proceeded to pull me towards the kitchen. I had to secure the sheets around me to prevent them from falling.

"Wait!" I said, stopping. "Don't you think it's best if I get dressed first?"

He gave me a once over and smiled.

"Well, to be perfectly honest, you could stroll naked, I would love it. But hold on."

He rushed over to the stairs and climbed two steps at a time. Half a minute later, he was back, holding a red and white piece of clothing on his hand. Stopping in front of me and opening the item for me to inspect, he smiled, all proud, looking at a basketball jersey of a team I've never heard of before. 'Dogs', it said.

"What do you think?" He turned it, and I saw his name engraved in big letters, along with a big number 10.

"What is that?"

"It's my basketball jersey from college! I like it a lot. I think it'll fit you perfectly."

He raised it and started to slide it over my head. I let go of the sheets, that pooled around my feet, passing my arms through the sleeves. The shirt covered the top of my thighs, and, barely, my butt.

"I _love_ it on you."

"It's a little short."

"That's what I love about it." He then resumed pulling me towards the kitchen.

It was a good kitchen. Looked a lot better than a lot of guys kitchen I've seen.

"I'll make you some hot cocoa. Ok? You should eat something."

I smiled and nodded. He walked towards the stove, but turned back around in the middle of the way, put his arms around me, raised me and put me on top of the counter, where he then kissed the air out of me.

"I'm so happy you're here, I can't even believe it."

He snuggled himself between my legs and pulled me towards him.

"Don't go away, ok? Don't run when I'm not looking." He asked, resting his forehead against mine.

"I won't."

And I meant it, too. I wouldn't.

"You have no idea" He kissed me and tried to talk in between. "How many times I imagined you here."

I clung to him with all I had. And then I felt him getting me off the counter and carrying me through the living room and up the stairs again.

Beautiful, beautiful morning.

.:.

I loved the feeling of him caressing my hair, while I leaned into his chest. It was still pouring rain outside, and we were just there, staring at his wall, talking nothing important.

I know, I know. I just wanted to forget reality for a while, and let me tell you something. I succeeded. The last thing on my mind was real life. I didn't even know where my phone was.

I while later, well after noon, he decided we had to have breakfast. So he kissed me soundly, told me not to move or put on clothes, asked how I liked my eggs, climbed out of bed and headed towards the kitchen. Twenty minutes later, he came back with a big tray full of his mother's cake, buttered toasts, scrambled eggs, coffee for him and cocoa for me. He sat next to me on the bed, complained that I had put on his basketball shirt again, and we started to eat.

Talking to him is incredibly easy, and he makes me laugh a lot. Like, my real laugh, not the one I use when I'm in public. The one I was born with, that's kind of embarrassing.

"Oh, gross!" Was my reaction when he was telling me about a girl he and Miroku dated in college. At the same time.

"Not at the same _same _time, if that's what you're thinking. It was simultaneous, but we each had our time with her."

Well, that's better. Kind of.

"Every time he wanted a girl that liked me, I'd arrange for him to get her, and he did the same for me. And this time, we both had crushed on this girl, and she seemed to like both of us. So we thought 'Hey, she thinks we don't know she's dating us both, so why come clean?'. It was a weird logic, but it was fun for a while."

"How long was 'a while'?"

"Not much. It started to get weird when she said bye to one of us and went straight to the other. I mean, I could smell his cologne on her. So we told her."

"How did she react?"

"She said that now that we both knew, things could get more exciting."

I looked at him, trying to hide my true opinion.

"Go ahead" He smiled at me, while biting on a toast. "You can call her a whore if you want."

"I don't want to call her a whore." Yes, I did. "She was already an adult, she could date and sleep with whoever, and how many men she desired. That's... Ok."

And it is. I look at Taylor Swift and I think "You go girl!". Because, let's face it. If I had access to that many gorgeous men, I'd be dating my way throw them too, probably.

Wouldn't you?

Exactly.

But threesomes, that's a little harder for me to digest. _Especially _if they involved Inuyasha.

He just took a bite off his toast and smiled at me.

"Do you think" I started, snuggling against his chest. "That they noticed our absence last night?"

"Miroku and Sango? Hardly. They were too busy trying to vanish to notice we did."

"Maybe."

And then he angled my head towards his and kissed me again. He was doing that _a lot._

"I seriously lost count of how many times I imagined us here, right here, eating breakfast and thinking of nothing. I know it started since the first time I saw you."

"Yeah? One bump was enough to leave you imagining?"

"Oh, no. That was the first time _you _saw _me. _I knew you already."

I looked at him.

"You did?"

"Yes. Three months before that, I was going to meet Sango in a Starbucks to sort through some legal files, you were there. Just leaving, actually. Putting your coat on, all long legs and hair flowing around you. Quite a vision. I didn't know if I should run and introduce myself or just stand there watching you."

That kind of shocked me. I mean, _think. _He knew me before I fell for him. And he was attracted to me!

"Huh. I didn't know that."

"Nobody did, not even Sango. I thought for sure you were taken, it would only mess things up."

I smiled, and then I sighed.

"I think I'm gonna take a shower."

"Can I join you?"

"No, better not. I actually do have to shower. You can wait for me here, I'll help you with the dishes after."

"Ok." He agreed, nuzzling my neck.

"Where should I put your jersey?"

"It's yours." He said, kissing me on the lips again.

I kissed him back, touched by the gesture.

"Thank you."

Untangling myself from him, I walked towards the bathroom on his suite, while he got up and picked up the tray to take it to the kitchen.

After my shower, dressed in my blue dress from last night, I opened the bedroom door and was about to climb down the stairs to ask him if he, by any chance, had a blow dryer, when his land line rang, and I heard him pick it up.

"Hello? Hi, how are you?"

Hmm, maybe it was work, I shouldn't interrupt him.

"And how's your foot, everything ok?"

I serious chill went up and down my spine.

The Stick. He was talking to Kikyou.

Panicking, I went back to his room and closed the door behind me.

And then I saw the extension.

I know it was wrong, but come on. I'm only human.

And suddenly I realized how desperate I was to know what path was he going to walk after last night.

"_... me, she gave me some pain killers, so it's ok. I don't see why I still have to wear this boot, I can walk normally already." _

"_It won't take too long, just a while more." _I herd his voice on the line.

"_Hmm. Maybe. So. How are you? Feel like going out tonight? I feel bad for ditching you last night, that party sucked." _

"_No it didn't. It's just you didn't know anybody there."_

"_Did you take too long to go home after I left?"_

"_Not too long."_

"_Why not? I thought you wanted to talk to some people there. College friends or whatever?"_

"_Yeah, but I got tired. I worked a lot yesterday, and since you weren't there anymore, I thought maybe it was best if I left."_

My heart. Breaking. All over again.

"_And did __you __talk to Kagome after I left? She was there, wasn't she?"_

_"Why do you ask?"_

_"No, no reason. I just noticed she was there with her new boyfriend."_

_"Hmm."_

_"They make a nice couple, don't they?"_

_"I suppose."_

_"Not quite like us, of course."_

_"Of course."_

_"So, you wanna go out tonight? Maybe get a pizza or something?"_

_"Sure. What do you have in mind?"_

_I h_ung up after that.

Ok, yeah, it's not like I was expecting him to just tell her he dragged me to his place and slept with me and then dump her over the phone. But I surely wasn't expecting him to be so casual and make dinner plans. After everything we said, after everything we _did_, I thought that maybe... Well, I thought that...

Turns out it was a stupid thing to think, even if I didn't know what exactly it was that I thought.

I raised my head, took a deep breath, swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat, got my purse and opened the door.

When I arrived to the kitchen, he was still on the phone, his back to me.

"Yeah, ok. I'll see you, then. Me too. Bye."

"How is Kikyou?"

He turned to me, his expression already careful.

"Is her foot any better?"

"Kagome, listen."

"No. No, it's better if I don't. You're not gonna tell me what I want to hear. This is a mistake. Right? Clearly, it was a huge mistake. I'm gonna go."

"No, you're not! And this wasn't a mistake, come on." He walked to me and held me by my arms.

"Yes, it was. I should have left with Kouga, I should never have talked to you, I shouldn't have-"

"You should have! You should have, because it was the best thing that ever happened to me since-"

"No, Inuyasha, stop. Enough. We both know this is never going to work. It started wrong, of course it was going to end wrong. It will never work, never. I'll go home."

I untangled myself from his grip and left before he could say anything. He opened the door after I closed it behind me and walked out.

"Kagome, come back here."

"Go back inside, Inuyasha. Go take a shower and call Kikyou. Go figure out the details of your wedding."

"Stop talking about Kikyou!"

"No, I won't stop! She's your fiancee, we _have _to talk about her. She's the most important part of this whole thing, the most real-"

"No she's not!"

"If she wasn't, you wouldn't be wearing a ring on your right hand."

"Kagome."

"Goodbye, Inuyasha." I walked into the elevator. Part of me, a big part, wanted him to come after and drag me back inside his apartment, no matter how much I struggled. But another part wanted him to do exactly what he did: stand there and watch me go, so I could try and forget him and the fact that I was head over heels in love with him.

I left the building and the minute I stepped on the sidewalk, I remembered the furious rain that was pouring. Less than thirty seconds later, I was soaked to the bones. I was really lucky that taxi driver took pity on me and accepted taking me home.

.:.

Two days flew by.

I was working like mad. Everybody was all crazy abut Fashion Week anyway, so it wasn't hard to get in the spirit.

I was also avoiding Kouga. I still wasn't able to really look at him after that. I mean, I slept with someone even before I slept with my own boyfriend. That couldn't be good.

We only talked on the phone like, three times. And he did have a lot to do at work too, so it was perfect.

I kept my mouth shut about the whole thing. Didn't tell Sango, Jakotsu, Rin, nobody. If it was up to me, nobody would ever know about that night. Nobody had to know. I was going to be ok, by myself, taking care of myself. Everything was going to go back to normal, and I'd be fine.

And, for almost a week, I actually believed that.

But it was only a matter of time before the weight of all that mess settled upon my shoulders once I got back home from work the next Friday.

I sat on the couch, thinking about nothing and everything at the same time, when there was a knock on my door.

Eri. Her (new) boyfriend had just left, I heard the door closing when I got in. She wanted to tell me all about it, like always.

"Eri, I'm sorry, but I'm really tired-"

"Kagome."

Looking up, I saw the absolute last face I wanted to see.

"What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you. I need to know what is going on between us."

"That's an easy one. There's absolutely nothing going on. Good night."

I tried to close the door again, but he pushed himself inside my apartment.

"Yes, there is." He closed the door and walked towards me. "There is, and you know it. You left in such a hurry that day that I didn't even had the chance to-"

"To explain to me that, if we were to keep seeing each other, it would have to be a secret, because you have a fiancee and is about to get married? I already know all that."

"For fuck's sake, can you please let me talk for five minutes?!"

I stopped talking, breathing deep.

"Five minutes."

He took a deep breath and then started pacing.

"I am so goddamn confused about everything! I'm not sure of _anything _I used to be before! I don't care about the things that I used to care! I can't work, I can't focus on anything... That isn't you. Since the day we met, I'm trying to maintain a balance, to keep things as they were, like I was sure they would always be. I had a whole plan in my mind, everything was set, no room for errors. And then you came along and changed everything, turned my whole fucking world upside down, and made me want to send all my plans to hell. You made me like the uncertain, made me want to live just for right now, not giving a damn about my future. But at the same time, Kagome, I knew I couldn't just up and walk away from everything, because it's more than just my own life. And it's hard to let go of everything you've been building for so long."

"Then don't."

"But there's the thing! I kept telling myself to keep going, to keep walking towards my plans... With my fiancee, with the woman I loved since I'm 16 years old. I was so blind in love with her that everybody else seemed boring. Everything was about her, my world was her-"

"Are you _trying_ to make me cry?"

"...Until _you_ showed up. You have no idea of the size of the revolution you caused in me. When I met you, Kikyou was, little by little, becoming too serious, too infantile, too shallow. Too annoying. Everything about you was new, different, unknown, in such a... Familiar way. I see myself in you. I see everything I always wanted to be, but never knew how. You show me that man. So every time I found myself thinking about you, I looked for her, to prove to myself that it was her that I really wanted, not you. That _she_ was the one for me, not you. But there is something inside me that always answers to her, now. If she says something stupid, I found myself thinking 'Kagome wouldn't say that'. If she did something too silly, 'Kagome wouldn't do that'. You started to inhabit my mind and at the same time I tried my best to take you out, I indulged my mind in thoughts of you, indulged my imagination to wonder in how amazing it would be if _you_ were my fiancee, not her. When you started helping her, I got desperate, because she would start acting more like you, and I wouldn't be able to get you out of my mind anymore."

He made a pause and walked towards me.

"When you left the other day, my first impulse was to come after you and drag you back inside my apartment, no matter how much you struggled."

Deja vu.

"But then it hit me that maybe that was the moment to let you go. The moment to let things go back to the way they were before. To forget you and live my life, the way I had planned it. And you know what? That thought made me panic. _Panic_, Kagome. I spent the best part of the week having near anxiety attacks every time I thought about you vanishing from my life forever."

He stopped and looked at me.

"I don't want to live without you, 'Gome."

He raised a hand and touched my cheek, making me look at him.

"And _I know_ you don't want to live without me."

I sighed, already shaking.

"You said it yourself. You have a plan. You know how your life is going to be. You have everything figured out."

"I also said I don't care about them anymore."

"You should care. Plans are good. I'd kill for a plan like yours. Because I may seem like I'm new and exciting, but I also have my own plans. Not as thought out as yours, but I do."

"And they all include me. I know they do."

"How can you know?"

"Because I learned to read your mind, love, just by looking into your eyes."

He put his other hand on my face and forced me to look inside his eyes. Which I didn't want to do, because I was about to cry, and the last thing I needed was for him to see me crying.

He saw my eyes full of tears and smiled, all sad.

"See? I can't even handle the possibility of making you cry. It kills me inside."

And then I started shaking harder.

"Don't- Don't make me live without the hope of seeing you everyday. That's the only thing giving me strength to get up in the morning. Don't make me go back to living a life without you."

"You were living perfectly fine before. And you will live just as fine after you forget me."

"But I won't forget you."

"Yes, you will."

"No, I won't. I don't _want _to forget you. Because you are imprinted in me, now. Everywhere, it's you, it's you, it's only you."

He touched my forehead with his for a second, and then he gave me one of those bear hugs of his.

"I will never forget you, never."

"You will."

"I won't, because I love you."

I froze. Really froze. I couldn't move inside his arms. The only thing moving was my heart, that was now beating wildly, and I could also feel his just as strong and fast as mine, pounding away.

And also my lungs and my lids, because I started to cry.

"I love you so much I feel like I'm about to explode."

I felt tears down my cheeks, only they weren't just mine.

"I love you so much I can't imagine a day without you near me, with me."

And then we spent a couple of minutes in silence. The only things I felt were his arms around me and my heart, beating so hard I was starting to get dizzy.

I've always been rational. "Too rational", Jakotsu would say. And all that reason managed to find a way between millions of emotions and feelings flooding my brain and told me to think. _'Think about this. Think about the possibilities of this actually working out. He has a fiancee. A woman you're helping, a woman who will marry him. Think about the probability of him throwing all that through the window, even if he says he loves you now. Think, Kagome.'_

And it was because of that voice that I was able to move my hand and touch his back.

"Inuyasha."

He didn't move. Only held me tighter.

"Inuyasha, stop and think. You are engaged to the woman of your dreams, the future mother of your children."

"No."

"And she's waiting for you. She loves you. And you love her too. You love her so much you asked her to spend the rest of her life with you."

He let me go a little and looked into my eyes. His face was wet with tears and his golden eyes were red.

"You _will _forget me. I will, eventually, slip from your mind, because you only think you love me. That's all. You were only looking for a way to cope with all the pressure, with all the... Routine. And you ended up finding it. But you can't run forever. Go back to her. Go back to your plans with her. Go back to thinking about how happy you're gonna be when you're finally married, like you've been dreaming all this time.

"No, Kagome..."

"You will forget me, Inuyasha. With time, you will forget me."

I took his arms from around me.

"Your five minutes are over."

And I walked towards my room.

"Kagome. No! Kagome!"

I locked the door and slid to the floor. I was trembling harder than I ever did before. My chest was hurting with all the tears trying to burst from my eyes and the sobs bubbling up my throat.

I grasped the first thing I found on the floor and buried my face there. It was a throw pillow.

And then I started sobbing, uncontrollably. So hard I thought I was going to pass out.

"Kagome, open the door. Kagome, please, open the door, Kagome. Please, baby, open the door..." He kept saying, just outside.

All I could do was cry. Fiercely and silently. Cry harder than I ever remember crying before.

"Please, my love, open the door, please. Don't ask me to forget you, love, please, don't ask me..."

I wanted, desperately, to open the door for him. Not let him forget me. But I knew it would be useless, because, sooner or later, he would. He would forget the day he met me, the day he smiled so perfectly at me that my whole life started to revolve around him. He would forget me. I would slip from his mind when I stopped being the new girl and he realized he was marrying Kikyou for a reason.

He would forget me.

Only I wouldn't.

Not ever.

* * *

**Tears? Laughter? Anything? Hit me up with a review and tell me!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Howty, my beauties. How ya'll doing?**

**(I don't know why I'm talking southern. Sorry.)**

**Well, here I am. As promised, with a brand new chapter on the weekend. And when I mean brand new, I mean it. This chapter wasn't in the original version. I came up with it a week ago. Let's see how you guys like It xD**

**I should let you know that we are approaching the end of our story. Just a few more chapter and we're done. **

**Now, to something that has been lodged in my throat since the beginning of this week:**

**Oh, my, God, you guys. You overwhelm me. The things some of you write on your reviews are just too much. I love you guys for reading this story, for appreciating even the minors details I put in, for understanding what I want to express. Thank you so much, I feel so lucky. You guys are more than awesome. **

**For those of you who think it's ok to be rude and tell me to "fix" something you didn't like about the story, as if I was being paid to deliver you a story, think again. I do this for you, yes, but I also do it for myself. Don't think for a second you can come here and give me attitude. That's not ok. There are ways and ways to express your opinion, even if you didn't like a chapter. Please learn to do so in a polite way. Thank you. **

**NOW! Enough of this. My throat is hurting because of all the music that I screamed last week, the weather is very hot it here, and I'm curious as to what you guys are gonna think of this new chapter I added to the story. **

**As always, your comments make my day. **

**Much love, **

**Nat'**

* * *

**So good: The only reason I didn't really laugh out loud with you review is, I don't have the voice for it at the moment. So glad I managed to put a smile on your face, sorry about the tears part xD Hope you like this one. Let me know!**

**G0ld3n: Hew, sweetie! I'm always glad when I see your name on top of the review xD Glad you liked it! It was a pretty angsty chapter, so the opinions were a bit divided, haha! This one is brand new! Can't wait to hear what you have to say about it. As always, thank you for the beautiful words you send my way. Hope school isn't being too overwhelning! Muah! ;-****

**BrunoMarsismine: Well, it feels like Christmas every time I read a review like yours. Thank you so much for your words, dear! They mean the world. And I am a fan of Bruno Mars too, so it wouldn't be too much of a sacrifice to incorporate him in the sotry xDD Hope you like this new chapter! ;-****

**Ai2000: Oh my! An emotional review for an emotional chapter! Thank you, dear, for such a nice comment! I'm glad I managed to make you feel this strongly with my words! So, so glad you liked it! And yes, it's so very complicated and messy and cute and infuruating! Just like real life relationships, huh? Where people can't seem to be logical and do the right thing for themselves. Let me know what you thibk of this one, love! ;-***

**Guest (9/16/13): SOBBING! OH NO! Hope you surivived and calmed down enough to read this next one xD Thank you for your input! Hope you like this next one!**

**Kitkat: Well, here's the next! I hope you handled the wait well! I don't want people passing out on me or anything xD Tell me what you think of it! XO!**

**Guest (9/18/13): I know, I know, so sorry for all the hearts breaking! I hope this ones alows you to breathe a little. Tell me if you like it, ok?! ;-*****

**Nat: Hello, name twin! Thank you, so glad you liked it!**

* * *

I didn't get to enjoy Fashion Week.

You see, it's always a lot of work. It's stressful, it's crazy, messy, a million things go wrong, but in the end we manage to make everything work.

I made it work by taking the shoes off all the models. Last minute. They were lined up, Chiara was about to open it in like 20 seconds, when I looked at her, and it was suddenly too much.

The dress, the hair, the accessories, the make up, the shoes.

It was all too tall, too fabulous, too strong. I wasn't feeling tall, fabulous and strong. At all. So I screamed.

"SHOES OFF!"

Rin looked at me, eyes all bugged out.

"_What?"_

"The shoes! Everybody! Shoes off, right now, come on come on come on!"

"Kagome! What are you doing?!" She freaked out.

I shook my head, like I wanted to shake a bad thought – A bad feeling. An amazing feeling that had turned bad. Shake it.

"They have to be off. Trust me. Off, come on! We have ten seconds!"

Chiara looked at me, not understanding a thing, but started to unzip the gladiator heels they were going to walk in. The other models followed.

"Oh my God." Rin lifted her hands, full of papers, like she was giving up.

"Rin. Trust me." I looked at her. Something in my face must have convinced her, because she sighed and started to tell the models to hurry, and help them off their shoes.

Chiara went in, Jakotsu was looking at me funny, like he knew exactly what was going on in my head, even if I didn't.

He knew everything. I don't know how. He just did.

One by one, they went in. People on the audience raised their brows to the lack of shoes. I stole one glance at the runway, but then gave up, and kept helping the models get in their dresses and kept repeating "no shoes".

By the end of it, Rin and I had to walk in to say our thanks.

Apparently, people liked the barefoot idea. So when it was time, she looked at me, smiling all surprised, and took her shoes off to. I smiled and kicked my pumps off.

We walked in barefoot and people got up to applause.

When I came back, Rin ran to the models and the staff to celebrate, I just walked, sighing.

Jakotsu was looking at me, his face like he was waiting for something. Something bad. Something painful.

I looked at him, smiled not to cry, and shrugged.

"I'm bare."

He tsc-ed, held out his arms and held me.

"I know, dear. I know."

I let the tears come, but it was a weak cry. I didn't have it in me, the strength to _really _cry anymore.

"Let's get you home."

He got my shoes and my purse, and we walked out.

Sango caught up with us right when I was about to get in a car Jakotsu managed to sneak for me, away from all the attention.

She looked at my face and I knew she knew already.

"I'll take care of everything here." She said, opening the back door for me and looking at Jakotsu. "Go with her. I'll be there as soon as I can manage."

"Ok." Jakotsu said and got into the car with me.

It had been a week and a half.

He had called me three times. All had gone to voice mail.

The first message was a plea. For me to pick up the phone, for me to open the door, for me to "please, please, baby, don't do this".

The second one was a declaration. Three minutes of 'I love you's, of apologies, of promises, his breathing. "Please, pick up."

The third was a deal. If I picked up now, he would do whatever. He promised me the world. He said he loved me. But if I didn't pick up, he would leave me alone, stop bothering me. I almost picked up. But instead of saying "I'll fix this", he said "We'll figure this out."

Meaning I would have to settle. Meaning I'd have to hide.

No.

So it had been a week and a half. No news of him, no texts from Kikyou to schedule a new meeting, nothing.

And I was trying my best to go back to my life as it was before him.

Surely, I wasn't in love. I hadn't felt that thrilling inside of me, and everything was just floating. Nothing really major happening.

I took long showers everyday, coaching myself to get through the day.

I went out with Kouga, tried to bury my betrayal on the back of my mind, tried to convince myself that I could make it work with him.

He, of course, noticed something was up. I didn't concentrate on him anymore. Every time he talked, I zoomed out.

I blamed it on work. I was, after all, on count down for fashion week. He wondered how could I kill myself like that for work, and I just shrugged and compared it to the nights he spent up, trying to solve a case.

"Yeah. Work is work, right?"

I smiled.

He slept at my place once. We didn't sleep together.

He had called me when I was leaving work, very late at night, asking how I was, he hadn't heard from me in two days.

"I'm good. Tired."

"_You _sound _tired. Everything ok?"_

No.

"Yeah. Just, really busy couple of days." I stopped and sighed. "Do you want to come over? I miss you."

I didn't. But I didn't want to be alone.

"_You sure?"_

"Yeah. Come over. I'll be home in a few minutes, I'll wait for you there."

"_Ok."_

When he did get to my place, I was just walking out of the shower. I answered the door and his excited smile vanish when he looked at my face.

"God, Kagome. Are you even eating? You look pale!"

He held me and I inhaled his scent. He was wearing cargo pants and a white T. Smelled of after shave, the ones you find at Duane Reed.

Not at all like Aqua Di Gio.

I relished in it.

"Like I said. Busy couple of days."

"Ok, here's what we'll do. You go snuggle up on your bed. I'll prepare something for you. Ok? How does that sound?"

Familiar.

"Great." I whispered.

I _was _feeling a bit weak, having skipped lunch. All I had all day was a grilled cheese for breakfast, ten cups of coffee and a granola bar around 4 P.M.

"Go." He kissed me. "I'll take care of you, ok?"

I smiled and walked back to my room. Turning on the TV, Christian Bale was about to become Batman.

I watched it for a bit, but then I felt Kouga kissing my forehead, waking me up.

"I'd let you sleep, but you have to eat something. Ok? Even if just a little."

I sat up, and looked at the tray he had sat in front of me. A beautiful plate full of steaming pasta with a great looking sauce on top of it, and a glass of orange juice.

"The wine will have to wait until you're a littler stronger."

We shared the food, I laid my head on his chest while he commented the movie with me.

I asked if he could fight like that, he said "Hell yeah". And then he laughed and said "Ok, not like that. But I got some moves."

I ate all my food and drank all my juice and then slipped in the covers again, pulling him to lie behind me, trying my best not to pretend the arms holding me tight belonged to someone else, failing miserably.

.:.

I didn't attend any show. Not my own, not Chanel's, not Louis Vuitton's, Prada's, none.

I just lounged in my bed with my new boyfriend, somehow managing _not _to sleep with him without offending him.

I visited him at his office once. He was on the phone with someone and waved for me to get in when he saw me.

"Well, did you call him? Where is he?"

I sat down, looking at his decoration – or lack of it. Just big piles of files, boxes with a few objects in them, a couch, a lamp, a computer and his phone on top of his table, along with a pencil holder.

Not much decoration on the walls.

"Mexico. That's doable. Bring him in here. I need to talk to this guy."

I sighed and looked at my phone, who had just vibrated with a new text from Sango.

"_Heading to the Burberry show room. You sure you don't want to come?"_

I smiled.

"_I'm sure. I'm going to have lunch with Kouga. Have fun, and right down all I'll need to know later, ok?"_

She sent me a winking emoji.

"Alright, see this through. Let me know when you have him here. Bye." He hung up. "Hey baby! How are you feeling?" He got up to kiss me.

I smiled at him.

"Better, thanks to you. I was thinking maybe I could get you for lunch?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure! You wanna go now?"

I nodded, and he got his keys. We walked out of his office and I actually heard a "Hey! Kagome!" right after he hit the elevator button.

Looking back, I saw the Investigator I had met the night I met Kouga, the one who was going through a divorce because her husband decided he liked to wear her make up. And her dresses.

"Gloria! Hi!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to pick this one up for lunch."

"Good for him, securing you! How are you? I've been meaning to talk to you, that night we met was so much fun, we should do it again sometime!"

We talked for a while, and she suggested that we went out, all of us again, the next Friday.

I thought about it and replied.

"Actually, I have invitations for an after party tonight. It's Fashion Week, and Miu Miu is-"

"Shut up! You have passes for the Miu Miu party?!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah. VIP actually."

"Holy shit! Can we come to that?"

I smiled.

"I think I can manage to snatch a few more, yeah. Why don't you let me make some calls and I call you once I know?"

"Ok! Wow, this is gonna be so much fun!"

So I did just that. I called Sango, who was thrilled to hear that I actually wanted to attend a party, and told me she could get seven extra tickets, no problem.

I texted Gloria saying we were on for that night, to let everybody know. She sent me party emoji's, and Kouga smiled at me.

"Glad to see you coming back. I missed you, you know?"

We went to lunch at the Rockerfeller Center. He was fairly new to the City, didn't know all the touristy spots just yet. He made me have a steak and mashed potatoes with vegetables instead of the salad I wanted. Said I needed to recover from all that hard work I've been doing.

Oh, I didn't tell you. We had already had calls from Sienna Miller, Kate Hudson, Olivia Palermo, one of the Kardashians and Gisele, setting up appointments so they could get their hands on the designs from my runway.

And the 'no shoes' business had, somehow, convinced all the journalists and critics that I was very insightful, so all the hard work payed off. Yay.

After lunch, I was walking down 5th Avenue with Kouga, just enjoying the day, when the devil proved he exists.

"Kagome! What a surprise!"

The Stick, risen from the depths of hell, came strolling my way, actually wearing one of my designs. It was, _actually, _the day version of the dress I was wearing the night I met her. Mine was long, hers was knee length, and with a more discreet cleavage. But it was the same dress.

Trust me. I designed the thing. I would know.

"Kikyou, hello." I intertwined my fingers with Kouga's a little more, holding his arm with my free hand. Literally leaning on him for support.

"What a coincidence! What are you doing here?" She asked. She had a friend with her. Some girl who looked just as annoying and insufferable as The Stick, plus a boob job.

"Just grabbing some lunch. How about you?"

"Oh, just heading to Sacks, actually. I'm picking out some china patterns."

Oh, no you didn't, you evil bitch who I'm pretty sure, gave birth to Hitler. I don't know how, but she managed.

"Oh! How nice, I hope you have fun."

I hope you break everything, get multiple cuts and has to pay huge money.

She made a face.

"Well, let's see. I'm actually coming back from Bergford Goodman now. Nothing good there."

Nothing good at Bergford Goodman. Yeah.

"Who's your friend?" She asked, eying Kouga.

"Oh. This is my boyfriend, Kouga. This is Kikyou. She's Inuyasha's fiancee, do you remember him?"

"Ah, yeah, from the hospital. How are you feeling?" He asked, while shaking her hand.

"Better, thank you. I actually just took out that horrible boot. It's good to be able to walk normally again."

I smiled with no enthusiasm at all.

"Well, we do have to go. So nice to see you, Kagome! Expect an invitation for the wedding soon!"

She waved.

You make sure you expect a bomb, soon.

"Gosh. I'm sorry," Kouga started after we resumed our walking. "I just don't get a cool vibe from that chick."

I looked at him, already smiling.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know." He grazed my hand with his thumb. "She looks at you like she wants to peel your skin of and wear it."

"_What?" _I was actually laughing.

"It's true! You never noticed it?"

"Yeah, we are not the best of friends. But I never felt something like _that._"

"You watch out for that girl. She looks a bit... unstable."

"So unstable she actually goes around breaking her foot."

"Yeah, see? That's a clear sign." He turned his head to me, while I chuckled from our little jokes, over enjoying this bashing of The Stick. He got my chin and I let him lift my face and kiss me.

"So, this party. Do I have to be on my best behavior?"

He didn't.

Miu Miu parties are known for being _extra _fun. Miss Lohan and the oldest Miss Hilton _loved _them, never missed one. You can imagine what goes down on the press-free space, right?

But, since my guests were all agents of Federal Law, I didn't mention that to him. The extreme parts only happened in an extra private part of the party, and we probably wouldn't have any contact with that.

What he did have contact with was one hell of a party, with nothing (too) illegal in sight.

The girls from the Bureau had a blast, we talked and danced, I made out with my man, took a photo with Justin Bieber (which he posted in Instagram, with the caption "Baby, baby, baby, oooh". That boy loved a gossip around his name). Miley Cyrus was there, thankfully not twerking. But her tongue did multiple appearances.

There was a _great _DJ, and also an awesome waiter who kept bringing us bottles of Chandon without any of us asking.

And, get this.

When I was actually more than a little bit tipsy, this guy approached me. Don't worry, he was dressed in all black, sleek suit, and his shoes sparkled like Dorothy's. I thought he wanted to ask me about Jakotsu.

"_Salut, _dear! My name is Jackes." He kissed each of my cheeks, his accent was heavy with French. "I realize this is not the best place, but I just cannot risk not running into you again. Listen."

He then said a bunch of things that, because of the loud music, the champagne and his heavy accent, I didn't get right.

I just made out the words "Reality show", "You" and "Paris".

Huh. What do you know.

"So, I will call your office, yes?" He shouted after Gloria came running and started to pull me away from the French man, screaming that Justin Timberlake was actually performing on top of a table.

I had to see that.

"Yes, please do! We'll set up a meeting or something!"

He kissed my two cheeks again and waved. After that, I found myself screaming the lyrics to Tunnel Vision, and actually getting a kiss on my hand from JT.

The girls of my group all had fits of hysteria.

I danced and I drank and I sang and I swayed and I laughed. Sango joined me after a while, and I introduced her to my new friends.

My best one hugged me tight when she got there, smiled at me and said "Welcome back".

I smiled, getting what she meant.

"Let's do some shots!" Kouga's partner invited.

Against my better judgment, I did one. I am not very good with shots, I get over excited and my hangover is extra hard the next day. I'm more or a soft drinks kinda girl.

After a while, I was dancing when Kouga appeared in front of me, asking if I wanted to get out of there, kissing my neck.

_Yes, _I did.

"I just need to stop by the little girls room, real quick. Wait for me?"

He winked and let me go.

I walked to where the waiter pointed me the bathrooms were, and some girls almost knocked me over on their way out.

"Oh, wow, sorry, man!" They told me, and laughed hysterically. They looked trashed.

_Sigh. _Don't do drugs, people.

Pushing the door, I had to adjust my senses a little. The music was still very loud in the bathroom, like there were speakers in there too. It was also very dark, only a weird blue light coming from behind the mirrors on the walls and from the plates on top of each stall.

Craziest restroom I've ever been to. There were a few girls reapplying their make up. They didn't look trashed, just a bit drunk.

"No way! Kagome Higurashi!" One of them exclaimed when they saw me. "I love your designs! Wait." I saw her trying to look at my face. "It _is _you, right? It's so dark in here."

I smiled and took pictures with them.

Hey! I was getting famous!

I went into a stall to do my business. When I got out, different girls were there, talking.

When I finished washing my hands, I felt a pair of arms circling my waist. Man arms.

"Kouga!" I exclaimed, when he turned me around and buried his face on my neck. "This is the _girls _bathroom! What are you doing?!"

He didn't answer me. The blue light was so weird, I looked over at the girls to see if they were creeped out, but all I could see was four figures, couldn't even see their faces.

Why was it so_ dark_ in there?!

"Hmm." Was all the sound he made.

And then he was kissing me, and I was divided between kissing him back and stopping him because this is so _Star Magazine _headlines: "_Designer Seen Getting Hot'n'Heavy in famous brand party bathroom."_

Ugh. Just no.

But then again, I had a lot of champagne in me, a shot of tequila and almost no food. My head as spinning and my nerve endings were very alert, and he was suddenly very good with his hands.

Like, _very. _

The man handles a gun everyday. Of course he had some skills. I don't know I've never noticed.

So when the girls exited the bathroom, not at all insulted, but instead saying "Ho-ooot..." to us, I let go.

Sighing, I tilted my head back, so he could plant kisses on my neck, which he was more than glad to do.

His hand was on my waist, the other on my hair, actually pushing and pulling, so he could adjust my head the way it pleased him. Very brute, very cave-man.

I loved it.

He pushed me on top of a sink and pulled my dress up, so he could get between them.

"Hey, hey, back off, tiger, this is a public bathroom, and I'm a lady." I joked on his ear.

He just groaned again and came back to kissing me, very brutally.

In my sitting position, I was eye level with him, so if I used the leverage on his hands on my legs and pushed up a little, I actually got a little taller, since he would be, technically, holding me up.

So that's what I did. Forcing my thigh muscled a little, I stood a few inches above him, making him turn his face up to keep kissing me. With my heels, I pushed against the sink, and he had to take a step back, and then put me down on the floor again.

I bit his lip and said.

"Get out of here. I'll be right out." And turned around, trying to look for my lipstick in my clutch, under the blue light of the impossibly dark bathroom.

He hugged me from behind again, kissed and gave me a little bite on the neck, and walked out.

Jesus. That was wild.

I tried to calm my breathing, found my lipstick, used my phone's light to re-touch it (because it would be impossible without it), fixed my hair and looked at my outlined self in the mirror.

I was _so _going to sleep with him tonight.

Quickly making up a plan (I would insist on going to my place, because if we went to his, I'd have to do the walk of shame the next morning. And I wasn't up for that), I took another deep breath and got out.

Coming back to where we were stationed, I looked at him and smiled.

He gave me the most innocent smile ever in return.

"Hey, there you are. Took you long enough." He took my hand. "I actually ordered another round. Is that ok?"

Uhm... What?

I was all hot and bothered, couldn't get out of there fast enough and take him home with me, and he wanted to get another round of booze?

He really seemed more excited than I was back in the bathroom.

"You girls take a lot of time in there. Do they have like a ride in there or something?" He laughed.

Theo, his partner, said something and they laughed, and struck up on conversation.

I was _very _confused, to say the least.

What the fuck was going on?

"Hey." I said on his ear. "I thought you wanted to get out of here."

"I do, baby, just after this round, ok? I promise. Then I'm all yours, and you're all mine."

"You still want another round? Even after what happened back in the ladies room?" I was almost purring in his ear by now.

He looked at me, kind of amused.

"What happened in the ladies room?"

I stopped in my tracks.

Oh, shit.

I smiled to cover up my sudden desperation.

"Did I miss something while you were in there?"

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

I kissed him in the cheek and walked away, trying to find Sango. We saw each other at the same time.

"Hey! I was looking for you, where were you? You ok? Everything ok?" She was a bit agitated.

I took her arm, breathing hard.

"Sango" I said. "Did Kouga leave this table while I was in the ladies room?"

Her eyes were worried and surprised at the same time, like she was trying to read me.

"No. Why, what happened?"

I shook my head and opened my mouth to explain to her.

Her big eyes and the worried look she was giving me made me frown, already desperate.

"What is it? You know something. What?!"

She didn't answer, only bit her lip, like she was trying to come up with the right words.

I saw her phone in her hand, it's light on.

Getting it from her, I looked and saw a text.

"_Miroku: Heads up, Inuyasha's going over there. Get her out."_

I immediately turned my head away from her, looking for him. It didn't take three seconds.

It was like his eyes were two lanterns, his golden look intense on me, on the far corner from where I was. The lights hit him once, I started in his direction.

When I got to him, he was faster than me. Grabbed my arm, took three steps to his right, raised his hand to my neck, and crushed my lips with his own.

I tried to push him away, but he held me to him, my arms getting stuck between our bodies.

"I just wanted to say goodbye. That's all, love, I promise."

Like that would make many any less angry.

I _was _angry. I was furious, but I also was a bit drunk, and that also made me over the moon that he was here, for me.

"And let one thing be clear." He took my chin and angled my face towards his own. "You will _never _confuse the two of us again." He kissed me and his hand left my chin to go to my neck. "You may forget me. You may never think of me again, but if ever I get to kiss you again, Kagome, you will _know _it's me."

A waiter almost bumped into us and I realized we were behind the bar, where a bunch of boxes were stashed.

"I know you're trying to forget me. I understand that. But you – will – not - mistake me. For anybody."

I sighed and tried to push him away, realizing I still had Sango's phone clutched tight in my hand.

"I ran into Kikyou today. She was picking out _China patterns-"_

"I don't _care _about that goddamn woman. You'll do well to forget about her too."

That had me paying attention. I raised my eyes to him. I didn't see much, it was dark where we were.

He bent down to kiss me one more time.

"I love you", he whispered in my ear.

And then he let go of me and walked out.

I leaned into a wall, trying, again, to catch my breath. And my brains. They were all over the place.

I must have leaned into that wall for about a minute before Sango came around the corner, sighing when she found me.

"'Gome..." She came closer, touched my arms. I had shivers all over me. "What did he do? I swear to God, I'll kill him if-"

I shook my head.

"He said he wanted to say goodbye."

She looked at me, her expression a mix of surprise and worry.

"And he said he loved me. Again."

She rubbed my arms.

"What are you gonna do?"

I lifted my hands to my face, still clutching her phone. It as like a life line or something.

"I just wanna go home."

* * *

**I know, I'm sorry. Angsty again. But was it better? A better type of anst? Let me know, you guys!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey, folks! I'm back!**

**Nothing new to tell you guys. Just happy to be here with a new chapter for you guys. **

**I think you'll like this one, but I don't know. Let's see ;-D**

**Thank you for all your comments, guys! We passed the 100 reviews mark! That's brilliant! Thank you so much for your kind comments!**

**Much love, **

**Nat'**

* * *

**g0ld3n: Hey there, sweetie. Don't worry, we still have a few chapters together. Thanks again for such kind owrds, though. And don't say "Adeus"! It means something like "good bye forever", and it's definetly not the case. Say "Tchau", haha. I appreciate the effort though. Tell me what you think of this next one. Um beijo!**

**So good: I'm so glad you are able to picture it. Because I hate when I'm reading something that is so complicated or poorly written that I can't see it in my head. Thanks, dear, for commenting again! XOX!**

**Nat: Here's the next! Hope you like it!**

**Ai2000: Hey there! I loved your review! I love how you got so into the story and described your experience to me. I feel kind of bad for making you cry, though. I like smiles xD I promise all your questions will be answered. Maybe not all at the same time, or maybe I will dump all the answer on top of you in one paragraph. Let's see ;-D Thanks for the review, love! XOX!**

**Anon: Thank you so much for reviewing! Glad you liked it! Let me know what you think of this one! And I hope I don't make you cry this time! ;-)**

**BrunoMarsismine: Hey there! I'm so glad you like it, really! Every time you tell me you liked it, the biggest smile spreads on my face. I hope you like this one too. XOX!**

* * *

I took a deep breath.

The smell that invaded me was wonderful.

Everything is wonderful there. Opening my eyes, I see one of the most beautiful cities in the world sparkle at me, like it's smiling.

Paris is magnificent.

"Bon soir, madame."

"Bon soir, Albert. Merci."

I got into the box of the most beautiful theater I've ever seen.

It was fantastic to live with all that pampering, with everybody doing everything for you, for a change.

That proposal turned out to be way better than I thought it would be.

W_ell, let me explain. _

_Remember__ when _that french man approach me back at the Miu Miu party? He was actually a TV producer, who was famous for a reality show that has been on air since 2006 in France, something a la Project Runway. It was currently on it's eight's season, and he invited me to be a judge on the three final episodes of the ninth's, which they were shooting. It was loads of fun. All the contestants knew who I were, and they told me they love my designs.

Bam. Check _me _out, huh?

It has been almost ten months, and I had time to prepare. I watched the show on TiVo and catching up with the season they were shooting, learned everybody's name and worked on my French. It was rusty, but once I started practicing again, it came easier. Sango, Miroku and Jakotsu came with me to the airport to say goodbye. Also my brother. Rin couldn't make it, she had a business meeting with Emma Watson (she was going to design the actress' dress for the premiere of her new movie). Kouga was actually in Boston, working. We all laughed and talked, Sota hugged me extra long, and when I reminded him that I wasn't _moving _to Paris, he relaxed and they wished me good luck and off I went.

I was only going to be in three episodes, but I was scheduled to be in Paris for one month.

I thought I had died and gone to heaven when they explained the contract to me at our lunch meeting on a Central Park restaurant.

I have been to Paris, of course. But it was usually for Fashion Week or another work related issue. This time, I literally only worked for a few hours and then I had a month to enjoy the city, and getting paid for it.

So here I am, for almost three weeks now, enjoying the luxury life of Paris.

Alone.

It really is not that bad, considering I didn't have time to think about loneliness.

It's only by night, when it's cold and I have to stack up a bunch of pillows around myself that I get a little sad. But then I taste some french cuisine food and the sadness goes away.

Even if sleeping holding on to a pillow is not the best when you're in love and have slept – with and by – the Dream Man and knows that he's able to keep you warm only by holding you.

But whatever!

So, there I was, ready to watch a production of The Swan Lake, in a box all to myself, with champagne and snacks, and nobody to share them, but hell if I'm gonna be sad about it. I'm gonna enjoy it.

Because I'm a huge fan of ballet. And the whole show doesn't fail to give me goosebumps and bring a few tears to my eyes, for all the right reasons.

It is, truly beautiful.

But I suppose everything is beautifu_l when_ you have six _plus_ glasses of the finest champagne money can buy.

And well, by the end of the show I was a little tipsy.

I know, I've been tipsy a lot since you and I met, but it's only because the best parts of the narration happen to be when I have booze in me.

Relax.

And don't drink too much.

Anyway, so I was tipsy. And I knew that because, on the car back to the hotel (Le Bristol and you _know it), _I started to see a few stars dancing around my head, and they told me "Mademoiselle, you are tipsy!"

And you know what? It's _good _being tipsy in Paris.

After I took a few photos with the dancers and got them to sign my playbill, the driver took me back to my hotel.

Walking in, I was focusing on putting one foot in front of the other and not fall from my pumps. It was a hard task, with all the little French stars dancing around my head.

I got into the elevator and pressed the button for it to take me to my floor, when I heard some French guy screaming for the bellboy to please, hold the elevator.

Gosh. I hate sharing elevators.

And it's not because I'm suddenly a diva or anything, I just never know how to act around people on the confined space. It's worse when I'm trying to pretend to the world I'm not dizzy.

And, maybe a little bit, because I'm becoming a stuck up bitch. But only a little.

So I was ready to ignore the French guy when he walked into the elevator and started babling.

"_Je suis desolé, le _déteste pour attendre- Kagome?!"

I swear. He said my name. I raised my head to him and had to control myself so I wouldn't choke on my own saliva. 'Cause that would be horrible and embarrassing.

The sta_rs started dancing harder, saying "Oh, la __l__a, you are ____really__ tipsy!"_

"Inuyasha?"

I'm sure I was looking at him like_ he was Vo_ldemort or something.

Stop smiling, you! It's not funny!

"Kagome! What are you doing here?" I was abut to answer, but he cut me off. "Wha- Oh, the TV show, right? Congratulations, I heard!"

"Um, uh... Thank you, but... I'm sorry, what are _you- _Are you..." I was a bit lost, I'm sure you can tell. I stopped talking, and he looked at me, smiling. Then I regained my power of speech.

"Are are you doing here?"

He still looked at me for like three seconds and then shook his head.

"Oh, uh... I'm vacationing, actually. It's been a while since I've last been here."

I looked at him, still trying to decide if he was real or my stars were playing a prank on me.

"You look great! Where are you coming from?"

"The, uuh... The ballet."

He smiled again, and I was so confused.

"That's very you."

For some reason, I found that comment funny.

"Do you, uh... Do you want to have a drink or something?" He asked.

It's been ten months. Ten months since that last time I saw him, that last time he was such a jackass and kissed me against my will. Ten months of missing him everyday, and trying not to think about his eyes, his hair, his voice, that smirk.

Ten months of no wedding.

"Oh. I would, really. But I just had one too many glasses of champagne, so I think I'll take a shower and go to bed."

Oh. Wrong words. I said "bed" and he was standing there, and my brain started to create images, aaah!

He sighed in a suspicious way and bore those golden eyes of his into mine in a way that made me think I was naked.

"Are you staying here?" I asked.

"No, no, I'm in my parent's house. I'm just here retrieving a legal document, as a favor to my dad. This prosecutor has some files that we need to a case and... Well, that's boring."

"Your parents live here?"

"No, no, they have a townhouse for vacationing."

Huh. Townhouse in Paris.

I'm guessing their credit cards have a "Loaded" tag on them.

The elevator dinged to let me know it had arrived to my floor.

"That's, uh... That's me. It was nice to see you, Inuyasha."

"Yeah, it was."

I got out and the door started closing again, and I saw his eyes begging mine.

So I suddenly held the door, just before it closed all the way.

"You know, I have some wine bottles, that will never make through customs, and I'll never be able to drink them alone, so would you like to maybe have a glass-"

"Yes." He jumped out of the elevator. "I'd love to."

I smiled, all polite, and guided him to my suite.

"Nice place you got here." He commented.

"Isn't it? I'm already dreading leaving it. The only thing I can't get used to is the tub. Too big."

"They usually are."

"Sit, I'll get the wine."

I walked to the small kitchen and got the bottle I was saving. I'd drink it while watching "One Fine Day", with George Clooney and Michelle Pfifer. It would be on TV tomorrow night, I was planing on watching it while drinking some wine and munching on popcorn.

Coming back, I found him sitting on the couch.

"How much longer are you staying?" He asked.

"I go back to New York in a week." I answered, trying to open the bottle.

He got up, took the bottle from me and started working on it himself.

"Thanks."

"My pleasure."

"How long are _you_ staying?"

"I actually go back tomorrow. I just came here to get these documents and then I'd go back and finish packing."

"When did you get here?"

"Five days ago. Paris by myself is not really my thing."

By himself? Hmm. Interesting.

"Speaking of which, I should get those papers. Do you mind if I run and get them real quick?"

"Oh, no, sure, go ahead."

"Ok. I'll be right back, ok? Don't go anywhere."

I shrugged. It's my room, man. Where would I go?

"Right." He said, like he knew what I was thinking. "It'll be two minutes. I'll be right back."

And then he rushed out the door.

It took me five seconds to run to my purse, get my phone and weigh my options.

Sango? No, she'll be worried.

Rin? She doesn't even know about me and him.

Jakotsu.

"_Oh my god inuyasha __i__s here what do I do I'm freaking out we're about to have wine help me"_

No commas, no punctuation, no nothing. It was desperate texting, you see.

"_WHAT?"_

"_What do I do?"_

"_BANG HIM!"_

Jesus.

"_Oh god. I'm gonna die."_

"_No you're not. You're gonna be fabulous. Where is he now?"_

"_Getting some documents from someone that's staying in the hotel."_

"_Here's what you do. You fix your make up, you push up your boobs. You see what happens."_

That was actually great advice.

"_Ok. Oh my God."_

"_Go. Text me in the morning, or when he leaves. Lov u. Bye."_

"_Thanks. Love u too."_

I put my phone down and_was_about to walk towards the closet, where all my make up was, when I heard a knock on the door. He was back.

Wow. Fast.

When I opened it, he was panting slightly.

"That was like... Really fast."

"I took the stairs. And left the guy talking to himself. I was afraid you would be... I don't know. Not here anymore."

His smile made me smile too.

He came back into the room and sat on the couch and in under two minutes, we were already talking like it hasn't been six months since we last spoke and saw each other.

And, in less than a second, it seemed, two bottles of wine were already empty, the third on it's way down.

Soon we were both, quite drunk, sitting on the floor before my bed (on the _floor_. I was wearing Balenciaga. Unforgivable), doing shots. With wine.

I must have been out of my mind.

"Ok, ok. A time when you... Got so mad you actually thought about murdering someone?" I asked, after answering him that the lowest act I've ever done was broadcasting the (barely) sex tape my high school nemesis had made with her sister's boyfriend. I wasn't proud of that, but that night it was really funny.

"Three yeas ago, when this guy walked into my office asking me to defend him because he had raped a girl, but only because she had 'asked for it'. Sesshoumaru had to hold me back."

"Fair. Now do your part."

He did the shot of wine. That was the game: Every time one found the others motives for doing something fair, the one who answered would do a shot.

"Ok, let's see... What was your biggest 'This is torture' moment?"

That's when things started to get a little... Unsafe.

"Ha. Easy. When Kikyou asked me to help her become more attractive to you." I was already lifting my glass to my mouth, waiting for him to tell me it was fair. When he didn't, I looked up at him. He was Smirking® at me.

"That was so good I'm taking a double." He poured himself a double shot and chugged it.

I did the same.

"My turn. One time you felt like committing a crime in public, in front of whoever was looking."

"Too easy. It was actually twice. One time was when that British douche kissed you in that fucking bistro. The other one was when you were dancing with that motherfucker of an Agent in Miroku's party. I was about to go and sink his nose in when he left."

I was my turn to not be able to stop smiling.

He looked at me again, deep in my eyes.

"Fair?"

I took a breath.

"Uh, yeah. Fair." I said, still smiling.

"It were two, so it's another double."

We took our shots.

"Oh, I got a good one!" He said, while filling my glass. He was suddenly looking at me all wicked."One time you wanted to have sex in a public place."

"What?!" I almost screamed, and some wine ended up on the floor. "You can't ask me that!"

"Yes I can, you said anything was fair game." He took a sip straight from the bottle. "Answer the question."

"How the hell am I supposed to know that?"

"You know, you just don't want to tell me."

"That's not it. I really don't know."

I totally did.

He glared at me, all dangerous.

"I'll pretend to believe you. And I'll go ahead and answer the question. And if you find it fair, it's a triple one."

"Ok." I was nervous, biting my lip and everything.

He took my hand, the one that was holding the glass, lifted it, started to fill it again and said, without looking at me:

"When I left you at your place after that first show of yours I watched. When we said goodbye."

And _then_ he looked at me.

My mouth was slightly open in surprise, because that was exactly the same answer I had.

"Fair?"

"Fair."

Triple shot, down it went.

"It's your turn."

I had to think a little. By now, the stars had hooked up with a few comets and were dancing can-can. Skirts and shoes and all.

And then I blurted out, without even thinking.

"One time you got so horny you forgot your own name?"

He laughed, so evilly I got goosebumps.

"Again, twice. When we danced that goddamned tango and when the lights went out at Miroku's birthday. Because it was freaking cold outside, but it was burning hot in my bedroom."

And then he looked at me like I was sitting there naked.

I didn't find it awkward, I didn't find it weird. I found it fair.

We did the shots.

"The happiest moment of the year for you."

"When you kissed me for the first time."

Just like that, without even stopping to think.

I saw his jaw bones setting and then he turned the bottle to pour us more wine. Only a few drops fell.

"We're out of wine. I'll go get more."

He got up and went to get another bottle.

Let me pause just to tell you how gorgeous he looked. He was wearing a black shirt with long sleeves that he had rolled up to his elbows, with black jeans. He was barefoot, his shoes resting on somewhere with my own, with an empty bottle of wine on his hand, swaggering (sorry, that's the _worst _word to describe his masculine, strong and manly walk, but it's also the best) away from me.

I got goosebumps just looking at him.

He came back with a brand new bottle, and sat in front of me again.

"It's your turn now." He said after we drank the amount due to my answer, which he found "Very fucking fair."

"The wicked thing you had most pleasure doing."

"Giving you all those hickeys, and forcing you to go to work with them."

I laughed.

"That's not very fair. I had to put like a pound of make up on top of them for like a week."

"Not fair? It was delicious to watch you try so hard to hide them, and let me do another one when I wanted."

I shook my head and drank, just for the hell of it.

"How about you?"

"Showing my hickeys and the stubble burns you left on my neck to my bitch of a neighbor who thinks she's so hot."

Not Eri, you guys.

"Fuck, that very fair." He kinda exhaled his approval.

And then I saw a box of chocolates I had gotten that morning on top of an arm chair. I crawled there and got them. Eating one, I offered him the box. He got one too.

"What's the saddest moment of your life?" I asked.

"Saddest? I thought this was supposed to be a fun game."

"Answer the question, Taisho."

He looked at me ans sighed.

"When you told me to forget you. And when you didn't open the door for me and I had to not see you until tonight."

"There was that night when you pretended to be Kouga and attacked me."

"That didn't count. Too fast, you didn't know it was me, I didn't get to really enjoy you."

"That's more than one moment, though."

"It isn't. It's been one huge moment that never ends. It ended two hours ago when I realized it was you in the elevator.

I was so drunk, so happy to be drunk with him, so lost in my own mind, thinking about a thousand things for our future together, a future that didn't exist, that I just smiled and lied down on the rug we were sitting on.

He did the same. Lied down by my side, almost as drunk as I was.

And we stayed there, looking at the ceiling, eating chocolates.

"Ask me what was the most perfect moment of my entire life, since I was born."

"What was the most perfect moment of your life, since you were born?"

He rolled over and landed on top of me.

"This one. Right now."

Then my vision started to get blurry, the stars stopped dancing and just floated around.

"I have another question." I whispered, since he was so close, while he toyed with a few strands of my hair.

"What is it?"

"Why are you alone in Paris? Why is Kikyou not with you?"

He gave me a side smile. A small, sad one.

"I'm alone in Paris because I was about to go crazy in New York, where everything reminds me of you. Kikyou is not here because she is the main reason I am here, the main cause you and I are not together in Paris now."

"You are _really _drunk. We _are_ together in Paris. I'm right here."

"But not in the right way. You are not sleeping by my side every night, I'm not making you pancakes every morning, you are not lying on the couch drawing your clothes, wearing my favorite shirt while I take the dog out and get you more chocolates. You are not smiling at me everyday and you are not resting against my chest and you are not caressing my hair while I fight with Sesshoumaru over the phone."

I was smiling like the happiest woman alive, listening to his list.

"That's a coincidence. You weren't there when they invited me to Paris, or when I got into the plane, and now I have to sleep surrounded by pillows because you're not here to keep me warm at night, and I have to watch myself and not think about you at all so I won't start crying-"

"I _told _you, you fucking stubborn woman, that I wasn't going to forget you."

"You didn't try hard enough."

"Oh, but I did. I tried my best. But you're everywhere. Every – fucking – where."

"You just saying that because you're drunk."

"I'm saying that because it's all I wanted to say these last ten months."

I opened my eyes – I had closed them at some point – and found him drinking me in, those two pools of gold that were his eyes making me warm inside.

"Well. I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Yes, my love, you are. You are."

And then the stars said "Oooh, he kissed her! This is gonna leave a mark, yes sir!"

They were right.

That drunken kiss was – is – all I can think about.

I was so magically perfect, it all fit so well, so easily, that I couldn't tell him to stop. I couldn't, I wouldn't.

The last thing I remember abut that night is throwing my arms around him and tangling my legs with his, and that we made out for a very long time in my suite in Paris.

.:.

The next memory is me, waking up, all cozy in my bed, with a slight head ache. The slightest mention of light hurt me.

I was wearing my silk camisole.

I don't remember changing. I don't remember showering.

But, when I opened my eyes again, I found two flowers sitting on the pillow beside the one my head was resting on, and a note.

_Taking care of you is all I ever want to do, for the rest of my life. _

_Sorry I couldn't wait for you to wake up. I had to catch a plane back to New York. _

_I still haven't forgotten you. _

_Love, _

_Inuyasha._

It smelled like him. And it was almost like he was there.

Looking around, I saw no evidence of our little party. He had, somehow, gotten rid of all the empty bottles. The glasses we used were all clean on top of the desk by my bed. My dress was hanging on the closet door. The drapes were closed, blocking the sun that would, without a doubt, make my head throb in pain. The air conditioner was on, and the duvet was tucked around me.

I smelled like soap.

It wasn't _possible_ that he had helped me shower.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember.

Flashes of me inside the huge bath tub and him sitting outside came to my mind's eye.

He had taken care of everything. Including me.

So I lied back down on my pillows, tucked myself back in, closed my eyes and went back to sleep. Hoping I'd dream of him.

What was it that Bogart said?

"_We'll always have Paris"_?

That seemed about right.

* * *

**I like Casablanca, ok? Talk to me, guys! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey, ma babes!**

**First of all, let me apologize to you all. Last chapter was a _mess _of formatting and typos and random parts in italic and what-not. I honestly don't know what happened there. So sorry. **

**So. The Vampire Diaries is back. Plus, the new Original's spin off. I have some Joseph Morgan to lust after, so excuse my short note. **

**You are all great. I hope you like this chapter. There's a little of the boys POW for you. Tell me what you think, ok?**

**Much love, **

**Nat'**

* * *

**inustree: I'm so glad you think so! Means the title is not misleading, huh? Thanks for the review, love! Enjoy the new chapter!  
**

**g0ld3n: Once again, you make me all warm in my heart. That was so sweet, and I thank you, sincerelly. And thabk you for understanding what I'm trying to do with Kagome. Not this annoyng perfect girl who doesn't exist. But this woman who is human, and flawed. Thank you so much. I love reading your reviews! Muitos beijos!  
**

**BrunoMarsismine: Hey! I feel you. I have doubts that I could control myself like she did. Especially if I had a hot man all over me. Anyways. I think you'll like this chapter. Let me know ;-)**

**Guest (9/29/13): Oh my God, thank you! Thank you so much for saying that! I feel really honored, and I'm glad you like it so much. Huge kisses for you!**

**So good: And I love all of you! Thanks again for the review, sweetheart! It makes me smile everytime. ;-*****

**Ai2000: Oh, how I love big reviews! Inuyasha's list made even me sigh, wishing I wasn't as single as I am right now. I'm like, very single, haha. Let me tell you this: a few of your questions will be answered on this episode. Not all of them – not even most of them, yet – but some =D So stay with me, ok? Let me know what you think of this chapter. It's always nice reading your thoughts. Kisses!**

* * *

I woke up a couple of hours later, feeling slightly better.

Hang over rule #1: When waking up after a night of alcohol abuse, have a sip of whatever it was that you've been drinking before. It'll help you get brand new.

So that's what I did. Getting up, I snuggled my feet on the fluffy slippers and walked to the fridge, to look for a little bit of wine. Hopefully, we didn't drink everything last night.

Getting to the mini kitchen, I found a glass already poured, with a little note on top of it.

_For your recovery. _

_I forbid you to get drunk again. Wait for me, then we can have some fun. _

_I._

I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling, in spite of myself.

_So I drank the contents of the glass, put it in the sink, stopped by the bathroom so I could brush my teeth, and went back to my bed, sinking in the pillows and covers and all the softness that had my bones melting with comfort. _

_Remembe_ring my cry for help to Jakotsu, I got my phone to text him.

There was a text in there already.

"Where are you, girl? Did he murder you? Should I call french police?" followed by a desperate emoji.

I chuckled.

"No, he didn't murder me. I'm ok. He did suck the air out of my lungs, though. I was breathless there or a while. But I'm ok." winky face.

He took a few seconds to reply.

"I'm glad to hear that. Now, so sorry, darling, but I'm in the middle of a spa day with Marc Jacobs. His boyfriend is here too. I'm having FUN. TTYL. Luv you. Muah*" Kissy face.

I smiled and then it hit me.

I don't remember the rest of the night.

I don't remember. The rest. Of the night.

Jesus.

What _happened _in this hotel room?

Did something _happen?!_

My phone vibrated and I saw the little icon telling me a had one new email.

I sighed with relief when I saw it was from Sango.

**From: Sango Kesh**

**To: Kagome Higurashi ****(personal)**

**Subject: Salut!**

**Hey there! How are you?**

**How's Paris? Is it still gorgeous? **

**It's been a while since we've last talked. We are all here dying with jealousy of your new super famous status. ****And we all miss you too. **

**So, news ****(gossip) ****from home ****that are too big to fit into a text so I'm emailing you****: ****Miroku just came back from a meeting back at Maison T, and his face was white. The thing is. Do you remember the show about Fetiches we put together, a few seasons ago? Turns out the people from Alexander McQueen saw it, loved it, and wanted to know the name of the person responsible for all the amazing-n****ess that was the event, because that theme was only ****like**** Miroku's specialty, so it was extra good. What happened was, they made him an offer. To make him their exclusive event planner, and he would make so much money he would be able to sm****o****ke 100 dollar bills. **

**The people at work freaked out, called a meeting, and tripled McQueen's offer, along with an exclusiveness contract. We would be the only Fashion company he could work for, but he was still free to go around working for Ferrari and stuff. **

**Can you believe it? Triple! He was already rich, he's gonna be ****insufferable**** now. **

**He told me he would take me to dinner in Rome and make love to me on top of the Coliseum, and you know what? I didn't even g****e****t offended. I liked the idea. **

**I'm such a gold digger, Jesus. **

**So I said no. No ****shenanigans**** on top of historical monuments. **

**But seriously. I'm very, very happy for him. He is a bit of a man****-****child sometimes, but he deserves it. Works hard, loves what he does, and he doesn't let it go to his head (too much). Last week we went to an orphanage and he bought clothes, toys, tv's, computers ****and books****for**** everybody. And said he's going to help with the bills from now on. How sweet is that? The ladies who run it were on tears. I was too. He can be really sweet. **

**So I've ****been**** extra sweet to him since ;-) I'm at his place right now, and I'm not gonna lie to you: I'm naked. He's preparing something for us to eat, so I thought I'd ****write to**** you. **

**But enough about us. How are you? Who won the reality show? Was it that blond guy? I hope not, 'cause I hate him. I hope it was that girl, with the super long hair. She's great. If it wasn't her, let me know, 'cause I want her number. Maybe we could hire her, I don't know. **

**Any french beaus came your way? Have you seen Jimmy? Tell me everything. **

**Miss you!**

**Sango.**

**P.S.: When I wrote "Salut" on the subject box, mu phone corrected it to "Slut". My phone hates you, LOL. **

**My cheeks were hurting by now, so much I was smiling. **

**I knew it, from the ****beginning, that she would be happy with Miroku. And don't get me wrong, he's always been great, but since he has her by his side, it seems like he's been able to access a whole new level of creativity, his work is even better, one event more impeccable than the other.**

That's the power of love for you, my friend. It made him richer. Huh.

**From: Kagome Higurashi**

**To: Sango Kesh (personal)**

**Subject: Hello, Mrs. Rich Girl. **

**Great news, girlfriend! Your man is richer, you are loaded too, you are skinny, you're having sex. **

**You're on top of the world right now. Just don't go and have sex on it, please ;-)**

**Jokes aside, great news. I'm so very happy for him, and for you. That orphanage move was amazing. I want to go with him the next time he's there. **

**To answer your question, no. No french beaus. I did get, however, a marriage proposal, from an old man who suggested I marry him and come here to live with him and his three dogs in his manor in Toulouse. Except that his wife was right there, shaking her head and telling me not to mind him. He's 93 years old, she's 85. I met them at the ballet. Cute couple. **

**Oh! Also, I saw Bruno Mars at this restaurant. He wasn't singing, but I think he's touring around here, his table was huge, full of people. Maybe his band and crew? **

**But that was about it. **

**HOWEVER. I did get drunk last night. Like, wasted. It was fun. **

**Oh, and Inuyasha was with me. **

**Don't scream, please. **

**Turns out he was in Paris too, did you know that? He was in Paris on vacation (on his own. Look into that for me, please) and came to my hotel to get some documents for his dad. And I honestly think he wasn't stalking me. You should ****have seen ****his face when he saw me. **

**The thing is: I was already a little tipsy from the champagne I drank at the ballet (I went again last night. Swan Lake. Beautiful), and somehow I ended up inviting him for a drink and in a minute we were already engaging in a very ****compromising**** talk and he was on top of me and we were making out on the floor. **

**So ****you're**** a gold digger and ****your phone is right,**** I'm a slut who has no idea if she has slept with someone or not. **

**Yeah. Because I woke up all nice and cozy in my nightgown, in my bed, all tucked in, smelling like soap, and he was nowhere to be seen. He had to catch a flight back home, so he had to leave early. **

**AND I DON'T KNOW IF I SLEPT WITH HIM, SANGO! **

**I'm such a slut, aren't I? How is it possible for me not to remember if I slept with him or not?!**

**I miss you too. Any of you ****girls at work**** tried breaking the copy****ing**** machine so that hot guy had to come over and fix it?**

**A bientôt, **

**K. **

After I sent the email, I got up, looked at his little notes again, felt a warm feeling in my heart and, drank some water, then back to bed. After a while, she answered me.

**From: Sango Kesh**

**To: Kagome Higurashi ****(personal)**

**Subject: Talk about news!**

**Ok, there's a lot of information floating around here, so let's go by parts. **

**1)I forgot to tell you that I ran into Adam Levine a few days ago, and he asked about you. What is UP with that? He's so hot. Do you have something you need to tell me? Will you be loved? By HIM?! ****Has**** he really g****o****t the moves like Jagger? **

**2)Tell me you didn't roll around on the floor in a designer dress, please. Tell me you were naked, because I swear, I've seen what you've packed, and you only have precious dresses in there. Please don't go rolling in carpets in one of them. **

**3) You are something! You have the guy of your dreams in Paris with you, getting drunk and making out and taking care of you ****afterward and you ask me about the hot maintenance guy. Come on. (Yeah, we called him. And he came. It was a great day at the office.)**

**4)No, you didn't sleep with him. I know this because ****now ****I am writing you from Miroku's computer, and he just got an email from Inuyasha. I'm forwarding it to you, because I know you'll like it. But if you say something to either of them ****I'll**** kill you and then I'll deny it, because Miroku is strictly forbidden to read my stuff, and he cannot know I'm reading his. **

**There it goes:**

**_From: Inuyasha Taisho (Personal)_**

**_To: Miroku Houshi (Miroku.h)_**

**_Subject: Kagome. _**

**_You little fucker! Why the hell didn't you tell me Kagome was in Paris? For three _****_goddamn _****_weeks?!_****_You _****_deliberately_****_ let me spend five days alone in a house with that fucking dog when I could be with KAGOME! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!_**

**_Do you even realize what I'm telling you? I could be spending some aw_**_**e**_**_some v_****_a_****_cations with the woman of my fucking dreams. But because of your little memory lapse (I'm _****_choosing_****_ to believe that's what it was. You forgot that s_****_h_****_e was going to be here, otherwise you'd have told me. Because if you hid that information from me, I have to rethink our entire friendship), _****_all I did was throw a stupid ball around for the dog to catch, walk around with him and watch some games in _****_F_****_rench._**

_**ALL **__**BY MY**__**-FUCKING-**__**SELF!**_

_**If I hadn't had the idea of getting some documents from that prosecutor for my dad, I would have never bumped into her! I wouldn't have had the best drinking night of my life! **_**_Because we did that. We got drunk. We got so drunk we started to confess stuff right then and there. Like I told her that I wanted to grab her and just fucking take her in the middle of the street, in front of her doorman and her neighbors that _****_night_****_ I dropped her home, and she told me she liked to show off the hickeys a gave her to one of her neighbors._**

_**Who, on their right mind, would say stuff like that?**_

**_But we did. And we weren't _****_embarrassed_****_ in the least. On the contrary, we laughed a lot about the whole thing. _**

_**I'll tell you, man. Every time **__**I look at her, **__**she's more beautiful. How is that? I mean, she's always the same, but she's better, you know?**_

_**I'm starting to worry about myself. You know what I cau**__**g**__**ht myself **__**doing the o**__**ther day? Drawing houses. One with eight b**__**edrooms. **__**You know who occupied them?**_

**_In the master bedroom, me and Kagome_**_**. The other five were for our kids, and two guest rooms, probably for you and Sango.**_

_**I'm **__**not an architect. I didn't even know I could draw, but there I was, surrounded by ideas for this big ass house that I'd have with her. **_

**_What the fuck am I doing drawing houses?! Women do that, not guys. Men like Jakotsu do that, not men like me. _**

**_But I was so fucking bored on that fucking house with that fucking dog drooling all over the place, _****_and I _****missed ****_her, so fuciking much_****_ that I started thinking about how great it would be if Kagome was there with me and one thing led to another, and then I had a bunch of house doodles. _**

**_I'm going crazy, be_**_****__caus__**e I can't stop trying to fit my life with hers. And the craziest part is that **__****__everything already fits perfectly. _

**_For example, do you know what Sango told me one day? That Kagome is too slow when it comes to grocery shopping. We were talking one day and she mentioned that she needed someone else to go shopping with her, because Kagome is too slow and ends up buying a bunch of crap she doesn't need. _**

**_And I know it's true, because that day you got high on Red Bull and we went to the drug store pick up your medici_****_n_****_e, she managed to spend 84 bucks on a bunch of crap in little over ten minutes. _**

**_Do you understand what this means?! I'm so fast when it comes to shopping that I usually forget half the stuff I have to buy. Kagome is so slow she gets too much. Do you see? We balance each other, it's perfect. _**

**_Do you know what Kikyou tells me when I forget some item of the list? _**

**"_Oh, it's ok, honey, we can send the cook for it later."_**

**_Annoying or what?! I don't want the fucking cook to do my shopping, damn it, if I did I wouldn't have had the trouble to go in the first place. _**

_**Fucking an**__**n**__**oying woman. **_

_**Kagome would never do that. She would scold me and **_**_tell me that I never pay attention, that she only asked me for something silly, and I managed to forget it. And then we would fight and make up and that's what I fucking want! _**_**Someone to challenge me, not to just exist by my side. **_

_**She is so **__**beautiful**__** when she's drunk. Beauti**__**f**__**ul, when most women get all fucked up. That's not a coincidence, I'm sure of it. **_

_**Maybe you'll be disap**__**p**__**ointed to know that no, I didn't sleep with her. Even with all that wine and the chocolate and all those kisses we shared. Fuck, I already miss kissing her. **_

**_But I confess that I gave her a hickey. A really small one, under her breast. It's tiny, but it's there._**

**_But instead of sleeping with her, what happened was that I ended up helping her take a bath. Because I made her get into the tub, that she complained was too big, so I sat on the other side of it, looking at her while she washed her hair and face and fuck fuck fuck fuck, I miss her. _**

**_When she got up to get out of the tub, she was all wet, and I couldn't control myself, so I grabbed her, opened her towel, bent over and just planted on_****_e_****_ in there. She giggled and slap_****_p_****_ed my arm. _**

_**After that, she go**__**t**__** dressed and I tucked her in, and I think I slept a little too, because when I **__**realized**__**, it was already ten in the morning, and I had this fucking plane to catch in three hours. **_

**_S_****_o I had to leave. _**

**_It hurt me like a motherfucker, leaving her in there alone. _**

_**Whenever I had to leave Kikyou, I'd get a little sad, sure, but I never felt like that. I never had actually considered calling my dad and telling him to d**__**e**__**al with my **__**absence**__** in this case we are working together, just so I could cuddle with her. **_

**_Never, I swear. _**

**_But with Kagome I did. I had to call Sesshoumaru and ask him if it would be too awful if I didn't make it, just so he could threat some sense into me. _**

**_He told me he would _**_**chop both my ears off if I didn't show up. **_

**_I actually needed to hear that. _**

**_And I didn't even sleep with her _****_(I'm kinda proud of myself about that. It's been 10 fucking months, my skin has been crawling and my muscles aching and my mind has been screaming for her for all this time, but I managed to control myself. She would be mad, I think)._**

**_So after I hung up with him, I bent over her to kiss her goodbye, do you know what she told me?_**

**_That she loves me. _**

**_I mean, yeah, I told her fist. But then she turned her head towards me, kissed me back and said "Love you too", and then slept again. _**

_**I think I spent a good 15 minutes looking at her after that, just **__**seeing**__** how perfect she is. She IS, man, she's so fucking PERFECT. **_

_**And, to be very honest, I'm sitting here on this airport lounge, and I'm still trying to control myself not to tell this **__**airline **__**lady that keeps offering **__**me coffee all the time to cancel my ticket, because I'm going back to my girl. **_

**_Even if she's not my girl, technically. Not yet, anyway. _**

**_But I can't do that, because Sesshoumaru already called me to threaten me again _**_**if I don't show up. **_

**_Damn it. _**

**_They're calling my flight, I have to b_****_o_****_ard. _**

**_Don't tell any of this to Sango, otherwise I'll tel her about that thing. _**

**_I'll be there in about 8 hours. We can have lunch or whatever. _**

**_Inuyasha. _**

**_P.S.: What do you think is her favorite color?_**

**I had both my hands over my mouth and c****o****uldn't stop smiling. ****I shoved my computer from my lap and onto the mattress and jumped from the bed to go stand in front of my closet mirror. **

**Sure enough, there was a ****small,**** purple bruise under my left breast. I got shivers and my cheeks blushed furiously. **

**I don't even remember him doing that. **

**I was still staring at it when there was a knock on the door. Dropping my camisole quickly, I put on my robe and answered it. **

**It was a bell boy****trying to balance a huge flower bouquet.**

**"This just arrived for you, madam. Where should I put it?"**

**"Oh, you can put it on the table over there, please." **

**He excused himself in French, ****g****ot in and put the flowers where I had indicated. I tipped him, he thanked me and left. **

And I almost melted on the carpet.

There were four dozens of red roses, all big a beautiful. The smell was overwhelming.

There was a card.

"_I think a little extravagance is due when one's in love. _

_Too weird?_

_I miss you already. _

_Inuyasha."_

Oh, man. Where the hell are you? Come back here, please.

**From: Kagome Higurashi**

**To: Sango Kesh (Personal)**

**Subject: Thank you! **

**Oh, my God, thank you so much for that! I am so relieved, but I'm also so embarrassed! I told him I loved him! In my sleep! That is very weird. I wanted to be awake when I said it to him. **

**Oh, he just sent me flowers. The most beautiful roses. Four dozens, can you believe it?**

**What should I do? Call him? Email him? Whatsapp him, what?! Should I throw myself from my window, WHAT ****D****O I DO?! I can't just sit here while he... Woos me?**

**Gosh, Sango! Did you read that ****part**** when he thi****n****ks it's a good thing that I'm so slow when shopping?! Do you think he knows just how slow I am? Even I get irritated with myself. **

**He's so perfect. In everything, he's so perfect for me. **

**And what is the thing he'll tell you in case Miroku tells you about this? Do you have any idea?**

**Kisses from cloud nine, **

**K.**

She took a little while to write me back. I had time to order breakfast from room service (it was well over lunch time, but this is a luxury hotel. You can ask for breakfast anytime you want), eat it, thank the cute waiter who brought me complimentary ice cream, tip him really well because he was really cute and eat a whole croissant when my computer binged, alerting me I had a new mail.

**From: Sango Kesh**

**To: Kagome Higurashi ****(personal)**

**Subject: Hey**

**I do not know what ****"thing" is he talking about. But I intend to find out. **

**Sorry it took me a while to answer. Miroku came back from the kitchen with pancakes and decided to check his emails. He laughed a few times reading Inuyasha's, and answered him right after he finished reading. I'll forward you a copy. **

**Please come back soon. ****Don't get me wrong, I love to have lunch with Miroku, but it's annoying to do so everyday. Do you know what he had the nerve to tell me last week, when I asked him about Inuyasha and the Corpse Bride? He caressed my chin and said "You wouldn't tell me about Kagome's preference in underwear color if I asked, would you, baby? So don't ask me about his love life." Can you believe that? The nerve.**

**But I know he cannot stand Kikyou. Once, right before your trip, I went with him to Inuyasha****'****s office, because they would have lunch together and I went to get Rin, who was there with Sesshoumaru, and she was there. The stuck up bitch. Miroku almost punched her in the face, it was funny. I thought he was going to throw up when she asked if she could join them. **

**Oh. Hey, Inuyasha just wrote him back, I'll forward you the conversation. **

**Have fun! **

**S.**

**_Attachment_**

**_From: Miroku Houshi_**

**_To: Inuyas_****h****_a Taisho (Personal)_**

_**S**__**u**__**bject: Kagome**_

**_Oh, the joy! My favorite couple reunited!_**

_**I'm sorry, buddy, for not telling you she was in Paris. I th**__**o**__**ught you had decided you would do what she had asked and stop **__**chasing**__** her. I'm glad you didn't, though.**_

_**Well, **__**disappointed**__** wouldn't really be the word I'd use. I think I'm **__**more **__**sorry **__**f**__**or you than anything. I know how much that curvacious body **__**entices**__** you.**_

**_You drew a house, bro?_**

**_It's not that bad, compared to the fact that I have everything planed for when Sango starts popping our kids out. I don't have to tell you you'll be Junior's godfather, right? Kagome will probably have little Roxy as a goddaughter. Please don't be offended if there are no kids left for Kikyou. Don't take it personally, it's just... You know. _**

**_I think you'll want to reconsider the grocery shopping thing. Y_**_**ou might be fast and all, but Kagome is a disabled mu**__**m**__**my. **__**In slow motion. **__**I know because I asked her to go with me once and I ended up with a new TV, a vacuum cleaner and the Coldplay collection, and **__**I'**__**m not even such a fan. And she's friends with most of the **__**cashiers**__**, on every market in town. So**_**_you_**_** usually take even more time to pay that huge amount of things she forces y**__**o**__**u to buy, because they talk too. About a whole bunch of things. And people around us can't even call the manager to complain, because she's friends with them too. It's very tricky to go shopping with Kagome. **_

_**I don't know her favorite color, sorry. When you find out, though, **__**let me know, because women tend to chose that color when shopping for lingerie. **_

_**I won't tell Sango anything, relax. I take offense in the **__**implication**__** that I would. And if you tell her anything about that thing I will murder you, and I'll ship Kagome away to Timbuktu and you'll never be able to see her again. I mean it. And I will also scratch your car with a brick. **_

**_Now, seriously: fix this damn situation. I can't take your moping around anymore, I'm sorry. Plus, I had the weirdest dream last nigh_****_t_****_. It was a really fun night, you know, with Sango and all, and we were almost doing it, just finishing foreplay, when her phone buzzed and it was a text from Kagome (I know because I recognized the special ringtone). We ignored it, of course, but then, I was sleeping, and I started dreaming about Sango in her lingerie, and in the dream, her phone buzzed again and all of a sudden there was Kagome, walking towards me in nothing but this negligee, that was kinda floating around her, and she was really sexy, and then you showed up and punched me for looking at her like I was looking, and then I woke up. What the fuck, man?! Stay out of my head. _**

**_And, I_****_'_****_m sorry, bud, but by the time you get here, it will be well over lunch time. But we could go out for drinks or something. _**

**_Miroku. _**

**__****From: Inuyasha Tai********s****__****ho**

_**To: Miroku Houshi (Personal)**_

_**Suject: My godchildren. **_

_**Aw, thank you. **__**I'd love to be a godfather to your brats. And don't worry about Kikyou, screw her. **__**She doesn't really like kids anyway. If it's up to her, my last name would die with me.**_

**_I know Kagome wants kids, because she also mentioned it when we were drunk making out on the floor. She said she wants to have twins, and that she will call one of them Dolce, and the other will be Gabana. I swear. There's also gonna be Prada, the oldest girl. And the little boy, Gucci. The boy after the twins will be Hugo. Hugo Boss. I don't think she's serious though, because she told me she already had a daughter named Birkin. And giggled a lot. _****_I freaked out a little about the daughter part, because she told me it was her baby with that Jimmy fucker. But then I remembered that time he gave her a purse as a gift. When I asked her, she nodded and pointed to the armchair where the thing was resting. _**

**She told me she wants a dog named Jimmy, like in Jimmy Choo. But I'll convince her to change that name, because that ex of hers, and I don't want her thinking about him all the time. **

**_But you know what, if she seriously wants to name our kids that, it's _****_c_****_ool with me, as long as their last name is Taisho, I'm game. _**

_**I mean, Sesshoumaru is not a pleasant name, but he managed to live with it, didn't he? People even shudder **__**in fear **__**when they hear it. **_

**_I think you and Sango will get the twins. For godchildren, I mean. _**

**_Whatever. _**

**_I'm in Barcelona, connecting flights. I hate that. But at least I can use my computer. _**

**_You can go ahead and forget about Kagome's lingerie. That's an information I make a point in keeping to myself. Focus in Sango's which I know is either pink or yellow, because those are the colors she wears the most on her shoes. _**

**_The fact that you've shopped with Kagome and I haven't is unacceptable. _**

**_And STOP DREAMING ABOUT HER, YOU FUCKER! You got your woman, leave mine alone. _**

**_Seriously, DO NOT DREAM ABOUT HER!_**

**_I._**

**Gome, me again.**

**Just an observation: what is up with them, talking about our lingerie? And you can tell your boyfriend that mine is all black, because I look good in it. ****And I'm sorry about that weird Miroku dream part. You know he's weird like that. Sorry. **

After that, I decided to take shower, get all dolled up and go out. I booked a train ticket to London, to pay a visit to Jimmy.

My emails had never made me so happy before.

.:.

After that, the city seemed to be even brighter. I tried my best not to let his little visit cloud my mind. Nothing was really going to change unless he made sure it would, but it was really hard. He kept texting me, and try as I might not to respond, I couldn't help the emojis that went his way.

Three days later, it was time for the show's finale, and I was invited to the party, since I was guest judge. It was a very pleasant dinner, and I made sure not to drink too much. Enough being drunk. That was almost becoming a habit.

I talked to a few of the other judges, with the contestants, congratulated the winner (it wasn't the blond guy Sango hated, even though he's very good. Nor was the girl with the super long hair. She was runner up. All she won was a trip to New York. I made sure to get her number to discuss a job proposal in the future. She was over the moon), ate good food and made sure my Roberto Cavali dress was photographed. It was a nice night.

Ellie Goulding was there, to sing for us. Jake Gyllenhaal was an atendee, and he looked _fine. _Like, really.

I had a lot of fun. Jimmy and his husband were with me, and they told me very good news: they had been approved to adopt a little girl. They were so happy, so I couldn't help but smile all the time.

After the party, I hugged Jackes, the producer who had made it possible for me to be here, thanked him for an incredible experience, thanked the other producers, the designers and everybody involved.

Then I kissed my British boys good-bye, and I went back to my hotel, to start the _long _process of packing, for three days later.

Sota and Kohaku (Sango's brother) were the one's that picked me up at the airport.

My brother hugged me so tight he took me off the floor and made me drop my water bottle. I have the best little brother ever.

The boys asked me a bunch of stuff about models and about Europe and when I gave them their Heidi Klum's personalized autographs ("Hello, Sota! Hope to see you playing football one day! Küsse, Heidi". Kohaku's was in German – he's fluent – but he translated it for me, it said something about how awesome it was that he was a black belt in most fighting categories. She also sent kisses), they high fived and told me I was awesome. Kohaku stated that I was hotter than usual and Sota smacked him on the head.

They dropped me off home, helped me with my bags, hugged me and then left.

Less than 10 minutes later, my doorbell rang, and I thought it was them again.

And _then _I had a thought. Oh man. Could it be him?

It wasn't. It was the other him. The one I had managed to think so little about for all this time.

My actual boyfriend.

"Hi babe!" He smiled big and kissed me hard when I opened the door for him. "I missed you!"

Oh, God. Oh God oh God oh God, I'm such a bad person.

There I was, making out with other men in France, receiving hickies and taking baths with Not My Boyfriend, while he waited for me at home.

Sango's phone was right. Slut.

I'm gonna make a long story short for you: He got in, he kissed me a bunch of times, I tried to hide my guilt and thibk of a way to brak up with him without being a total bitch.

Because, let's be honest. He's the perfect boyfriend. He has been nothing but perfect to me, but he wasn't for me. And I, clearly, wasn't for him. I was, in fact, very bad for him.

But, before I could solve my dilemma, he did it or me. He made me sit on my bed and sat next to me. Then he sighed.

"So. I have to talk to you about something."

I raised my brows and waited for him to continue.

"I was at the office yesterday, and they told me I'm being transferred. Again. This time, to Washington."

My jaw dropped.

"So here's the thing. We should get married."

Yeah. That was a proposal.

"Uh... What?"

He smiled and took my hand.

"We should get married, you and I. I want you to come with me. You can work from Washington, can't you? We could buy a house, settle in, it's nice in there. What do you think? Are we getting married?"

Just like that. There was no dinner. No ring. No preparation.

He just dropped it on me. On me, who was tired, smelling like airplane, jet lagged.

"Ok, uh... Kouga. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Yes! I'm sure! We're so good together, babe, and we could be so happy in Washington. I mean, I know you like New York, and that you like your job, but you can totally work from there!"

So, in a way, he made it simple for me to say no.

I could not leave New York. I could not leave my job. I could not marry him. He was great. He _is _great, but Washington? No. Sorry.

So I took his hand and tried to explain him why I couldn't accept that offer. He told me he had already made up his mind, he was going to DC, that he didn't even like New York that much anyway.

We talked for a while. He still tried to convince me, but I was firm on my decision.

He left after a few hours, after kissing me one more time, and telling me he would convince me to marry him one day. I smiled and hugged him.

God.

Before I started unpacking, I got my phone and texted Sango.

"So. Guess who just got a marriage proposal?"

* * *

**Should she change her mind and say yes to him or no? Where are my #TeamKouga girls? ;-)**


	12. Chapter 12

**(What. The actual hell. Just happened. **

**I swear, this must be "Hey, let's make weird shit happen to her, just for the hell of it, huh?" in the Universe, because I swear.  
**

**Sorry for this stupid glitch, you guys. Thanks for those who let me know. I'm such a busy mess right now I didn't even check if the right chapter was posted. Huh. Here's hoping it works, this time. **

**You are all beautiful. Sorry again.)**

**I know, I'm late. I'm sorry, I hate when this happens. **

**It was just a big, big week for me at work and at college. Lots of stuff that needed my attention, even if I wanted to just sit down and translate this chapter. **

**I hope you guys can excuse my delay. **

**And OH MY GOD! Please, excuse the damn grammatical errors that INSIST on sneaking into the final draft! **

**But I should warn you: this one was really rushed, because I wanted to post it as soon is possible, so it's not really revised as it should be. So some errors may fint their way to you. I'm sorry in advance. **

**In other news, you are all beautiful. I love the reviews you guys leave. You all hold a beautiful, cozy place in my heart. Thank you all so much. **

**I'm still, swamped with boring stuff to do. So, I'm so sorry, I'll have to skip the review answers this time. But I promise I'll catch up to you all next chapter, ok? Don't hate me and don't abandon me. Klaus and Elijah are not enough to keep me company. I need you guys too. **

**Rest assured all your messages have been read, and I reacted to every single one of them. To my regulars, you know I adore you. I'll talk to you soon, promise! **

**To my new readers, thank you for taking the time to tell me what you think.**

**On with the chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it. **

**Much love, **

**Nat'**

* * *

She didn't respond my text for a while, so I opened my suitcases on my bedroom floor and sat on my bed, staring at them, trying to summon the courage to actually start unpacking.

Twenty minutes later, my door bell rang ten times in a row. I got up and ran to my door.

"Hey!" Sango greeted me, dressed in denim shorts, white Céline T-Shirt, nude stilettos and a Burberry purse. She opened her arms and stepped inside, hugging me tight. "I missed you so much!"

"Me too!" I hugged her back.

"So." She let go of me and looked at my face. "Who proposed to you? Inuyasha? Jimmy again? Adam Levine? Are you two admitting you're an item?" she smiled, squirming in place, all excited.

"Kouga."

"Ugh." She scoffed and got in. I closed the door and followed her to my bedroom. "The boring one."

"He's not boring! He's an FBI Agent. Special Agent. How can he be boring?"

"Exactly! A man that has his job and his face and his body should not be as boring as he is." She sat on my bed and inspected the contents of my suitcases. "So what did you say?"

I told her about our conversation and she reacted like I was telling her some huge joke. Kept laughing and clapping her hands.

"What's so funny?"

"Him!" she answered, in the middle of a fit of laughter. "That was supposed to be a proposal?"

I couldn't help myself and chuckled, while she continued laughing.

"I know."

"As if you didn't have reasons enough to say no. God." Her laughter died down and then she made me tell her all about France, and then she made me show her the very indiscreet hickey Inuyasha had given me, so she could judge it.

"Hmm." She said when I raised my blouse for her to see. "Yeah. It's a good hickey. Very consistent. Shows affection."

"What are you, a hickey reader?" I said, lowering my blouse again.

She shrugged and started getting my shoes from my luggage.

"He's been smiling a lot since he came back, you know. He actually kissed me. On the lips."

"What?!"

"Calm down, it was to spite Miroku. After he landed, he called Miroku to see if he wanted to grab a bite to eat. Miroku invited him over to watch some game instead. When he got there, I answered the door, he gave me this big smile and when Miroku said hey, he took my head and planted one on me. It was so weird." she shrugged and looked at me.

I must have had a funny expression on, because she smiled and patted me on the arm.

"Oh, don't worry. It wasn't a real kiss. Just, you know. Those kinds Miroku used to give me before we got together. And you, that time on your birthday."

I shook my head and let it go.

"So, why did he do that?"

"I think to spite Miroku, for having that dream about you. He jumped and pushed Inuyasha away from me, and when he asked what the hell he was doing, he said that made them even. And then they argued for a while until the game started, so I left."

She smiled at me and started to organize two piles of clean and dirty clothes from one of my suitcases. I sat on my bed and pushed a few items of clothing aside.

"So. How was he? Did he mention anything about Paris, at all?"

"Well, I don't really know, I think he didn't want to talk about it in front of me. They sat on the couch and started talking really low, and then went back to 'arguing' whenever I got close."

I frowned.

"Do you think that's bad?"

"I think he wanted to talk about it in a way that wouldn't really please me, like how good your ass looked, or something. Don't worry about it, I'm sure he is over the moon with excitement."

I thought about that while she commented on the stuff I had bought in Paris. She ended up unpacking for me while I took a shower and then napped in my bed. I was really tired.

The next day, I went back to work. People greeted me, it was a mini party. But I had to go to a location right after lunch, we were having some items from the fall collection photographed to feature in Vanity Fair.

It was a beautiful day at the park, the lighting was perfect, and the photographer was getting some beautiful shots. Some people came by to get the model's autograph. It was Adriana Lima, from Victoria's Secret. I was in the back, watching the shots appear on the computer's screen, and giving some suggestions and helping with the gowns.

"Hey, there." I heard behind me, right after I finished helping with her hair.

Turning around, the Smirk and the golden eyes bore into me, all naughty.

"Hey, how are you?" I answered with a smile of my own. He gave me a once over and smiled more.

"Heh. Could be better. Could be having wine. In Paris. You?"

I smiled and started walking away. He followed me.

"I'm good, actually. I missed my job."

"You _look_ fantastic."

I looked at him.

"Thank you."

"So, how have you been since I last saw you?"

"Good, good. But, you know, the weirdest thing happened. This... mark appeared on me. I don't remember it being there before I met you in Paris."

He raised his brows and adopted an excited, naughtier than everything look.

"Really? Where is it?"

"It's a very indiscreet mark, Inuyasha."

"It is, huh? Can I see it?"

"Why? Do you have any kind of special training when it comes to mysterious markings?"

"No, but when it comes to you I'm sure I can figure out what happened."

He took a step closer to me and toyed with a strand of my hair.

"Kagome! A little help here?!" I heard the photographer shouting.

Looking over to where he was, I saw Adriana leaning on a tree, with an "Oops" face on.

"What happened?" I asked, walking over.

"The dress got stuck on the three, we're afraid of pulling and tearing it. What do we do?" some assistant asked.

"Ok, hold on." I walked over to Adriana and asked her to raise her arms and twist to the right a little. When she did, I pulled the dress carefully, but the fabric still clinged to the little splinters of wood. I sighed and asked for some fabric. They came over with a piece of rosy silk. I tied it around her waist and made it a weird accessory.

"Does that work?"

"I think." The photographer took some shots and then asked me to look at them. "What do you think?"

"Yeah. But, maybe we could change her hair, because now it's a little too much."

The hairdressers rushed to change her hair and I turned back to Inuyasha.

"So. You're kinda busy, huh?"

"Yeah. But you can hang around if you want. You can ask for Adriana's phone. Get yourself a date with a model." I winked at him and turned back around.

"What about a date with a designer? Think I can manage that?"

"There she is!" Before I could answer, I heard someone shout, all happy. We both looked at our rights, and there he was, all big smile and no suit. "How's my fiancee doing?"

I froze, surprised Kouga was still here and not on his way to Washington. Inuyasha also seemed to be stuck where he was, behind me, looking at the FBI Agent approach me.

"Hey there, babe." He got my chin and smashed his lips on mine. "You have time to grab lunch?"

I was truly confused. Didn't I break up with him yesterday?

"Hey, dude. How are you?" He looked at Inuyasha.

"Fiancee?" He asked, and I could tell he was on the process of getting angry.

"Ah, yeah. I proposed yesterday." He was all big smiles and sweet looks towards me.

"Hey guys." Sango came from our left, followed closely by Miroku, who kissed me in the cheek and welcomed me back. He hadn't seen me since I left for Paris.

"So, what's up?" Sango asked, eying Kouga.

"Just came to see if wifey had time for lunch."

"Wifey?" Miroku asked.

"Oh, yes, that's right!" Sango jumped, a huge smile on her lips. "You proposed, huh?"

"I did!" Kouga smiled and raised his hand for her to high five him, which she did, smiling like the Joker.

I saw Miroku's eyes bugging out and him turning his head to look at Inuyasha, who was looking at Kouga as if he was deciding to punch him in the face or not.

I was suddenly having so much fun.

"Actually, I think I can't leave right now. Would you mind waiting a little bit?"

"You know I don't mind waiting for you, babe, but I'm actually on a tight schedule here."

"Hey man." Miroku said to Inuyasha and pointed to his jacket pocket. "I got that thing for you."

Inuyasha didn't even move. He just turned his eyes from Kouga to me. I shrugged and tried not to smile.

"So maybe I'll catch you for dinner?" Kouga asked and kissed me again, looking at his watch.

"Sure, ok." I smiled at him, having fun at the moment, but worried about his reluctance to accept my "no".

"Excellent, then. I'll call you. Buy, guys." He kissed Sango on the cheek, earning an annoyed look from Miroku, and then left.

"'Fiancee', huh?" Miroku asked me. I smiled at him.

"Funny. Every time I see you, there's a guy saying they're engaged to you." Inuyasha smiled at me, but I saw nothing pleasant there. Just danger. I couldn't even get mad at the implication of his little comment, it was so funny to watch him thinking I had accepted Kouga's proposal.

"I could say the same. Only with you, it's the same girl." I winked at him and he smirked back, so, so dangerous.

A delicious kind of danger.

"Kagome! Do you think this is ok?" One of the hairdressers called, so I went to see what was going on with the hair thing, Sango came with me, and we left the boys watching from their spot.

The photo shooting ended and I headed back home. Miroku and Inuyasha were still there, and offered to take me and Sango for pizza or whatever. I reminded them of my dinner appointment with Kouga, which made Inuyasha frown and Sango smile knowingly at me.

I actually just went back home to catch up on my TV shows. Sango, the angel she is, had unpacked for me and organized everything. So I bought myself a burger and curly fries from Shake Shack and headed back home to fire up my accumulated episodes of Once Upon a Time.

My phone buzzed a few times, Kouga's name appearing on the caller ID. I answered on the fifth call to tell him that I wouldn't be able to join him for lunch because 1)I had already had dinner and was all curled up in bed and 2)He wasn't my fiance, we had broken up yesterday, remember?

He just chuckled and said "Ok. But I'll make you change your mind someday. You'll see."

Umm. Ok.

Geez.

.:.

It was a fairly normal week. Jakotsu had visited me in my office to ask all the details about Paris and all the dirty ones, about Inuyasha's little visit to my suite.

"I cannot believe this, girl. The man is served to you in a silver platter, in Paris, and you don't seize the opportunity to scream some dirty talk in French. How did _that _happen?"

"Oh, I don't know? I was drunk, he was drunk too. He is engaged and I would just cry harder after having to let him go back to the White Stick From Hell."

"'From Hell'. Is that her last name?" He chuckled.

"Might as well be."

"Oh, I didn't tell you. I ran into her while you were in Paris. She was having lunch in Williamsburg. Check this one out: I made small talk, and asked her about Inuyasha. Do you know what she told me?"

"What?"

"That he was in a business trip... In Dublin."

"Dublin?"

"Yes. She told me that, actually, it was a really small town near Dublin, that didn't have great cell phone reception, so she couldn't even call him."

"But he was in Paris."

"Yeah, I know that. But apparently he didn't want _her _to know it, so he told her he was going to be buried in a teeny tiny town, so she couldn't call or Skype or talk to him at all. What do you make of that?"

Huh. Sneaky, hot bastard.

"Oh, and she was complaining about she has been robbed. Some guy distracted her and took some jewelry."

My day got brighter after that.

At the end of the week, Miroku knocked on my office door, just when I was about to leave, to invite me to his annual brunch.

"You know how it's a huge event every year, right? I was_thi__n__ki_ng, this time, about making something smaller, just for close friends and co-workers. What do you think?"

"I think it's great. Don't get me wrong, I love your parties, but it would be nice not having to smile to a bunch of strangers for a change, you know?"

"I do know. Ok, great! Glad you like the idea! You are in charge of preparing everything. Bye!" And he opened the door to leave.

"Ow, hey! What do you mean I'm in charge? I don't know the first thing about preparing brunches, Miroku!"

"Oh, no, sunflower, don't worry. I'm not crazy, I'm not gonna let you run _everything_. You are only going to follow some orders, from my personnel. Don't worry." He smiled at me.

"Orders?"

"Yes, baby doll. They tell you what to do and you'll do it. Ok?"

"I don't know..."

"Oh, come on. For me? Please?"

I looked at him. He was already kneeling by my chair, holding my hand.

"Oh, ok. What the hell, right?"

"Thanks, beautiful!" He got up, kissed me in the cheek and left.

"Wait! When is it?"

"Next weekend, at Inuyasha's parents place. It's gonna be very, very small. Just family and friends. Like a pool party for grown ups. You're allowed to wear flip flops.

Hold the fuck on.

"On _who's_ place?"

"Inuyasha's parents. Why? Is that gonna be... Like a problem... For you?" He was suddenly worried.

"Ah, no, no. Not at all. Just checking."

"Ok. Good, good. I'll text you the address later, ok? It's easy enough to find, it's the biggest house in the neighborhood, you'll be fine. See you."

Just like that. Dropped that bomb in my head, tells me that I'll have to follow orders from people I don't know, and, on top of that, that it's gonna be on Inuyasha's territory.

Fantastic.

.:.

Next week was weird. All everybody could talk about was Miroku's super private brunch, and how not _everybo_dy was invited, and who was gonna be on the list. I was approached every time I walked around by people wanting to know if they were in or not.

It was like high school again. The cool kid was having a party, and everybody wanted to be cool enough to be invited.

Hey, look at that! I was on the cool kids inner circle. Giggles.

Anyway, it was kind of a busy week. I had to decide perfectly what I was gonna wear, because even though it was a "pool brunch", and we were allowed to wear flip flops, they were gonna be designer's flip flops, for sure. Mine were Chanel, for example. Miroku is a very, very popular man. There were some celebrities and models on his list of close friends. So we had to still look good. And I had to prepare to receive and give orders of something I knew nothing about. And I also had to prepare myself to spend sometime with Inuyasha. And, possibly, Kikyou clinging to him.

When Saturday morning came, I was all ready to go to Inuyasha's parents house, do everything Miroku's personnel told me to do and smile to everybody and then leave, claiming a horrible headache. Because I was _not _gonna spend a whole weekend (it was a two day long brunch) watching Inuyasha with her.

So when the clock marked fifteen past eight in the morning, I was already standing in front of the most beautiful house I've ever seen. It had the beach as a backyard, so you can imagine how great it looked.

It looked _great. _

"Kagome! Kagome, over here!" Rin came running at me "I'm so glad you're here! Jaken! Can you take her suitcase to her room, please?"

There was a very short man, out of nowhere, taking my suitcase from my hand and getting back in the house.

"Jaken is in the family for years, now. I think the person he loves the most in the world is Sesshoumaru. He was there the day he was born, when his mother died and everything. He says that 'young master Sesshoumaru is a man of honor and respect'. It was so hard for him to accept me. He didn't even called me by my name until a month ago."

"What did he call you?"

"The guest."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Every time I was here, it was like 'Does the Guest wish for more tea?', 'Does the Guest accept more wine?', 'Will the Guest spend the night?', 'Shall I prepare a room for the Guest?'. Sesshoumaru had to repeat every time that I was going to sleep in his room with him."

"Uh, sexy."

"Shut up." She nudged me with her elbow.

"Everything is all fired up already, huh?" I commented when we got into the house, and the army of people coming and going with lots of stuff on their hands.

"Yeah, it started pretty early. I woke up with Sesshoumaru closing the window to cancel the noise from the back yard."

"You spent the night here?"

"Oh, I've been here since Thursday, actually. He never lets me leave. He even sent one of the maids to my apartment to get more clothes for me."

Lucky, lucky girl.

"Did you bring all you need for the weekend?"

"Ah, yes. But I'm still thinking about this 'whole weekend' deal."

"Oh, come on! It's gonna be so much fun! Izayoi always has the best breakfasts ever!"

I smiled at her.

"You'll change your mind when you meet them, they're adorable. Come on, I'm gonna show you your room."

"I have a whole room for myself?"

"Of course you do. This house is huge, we all get a room to ourselves. Yours is close to mine and Seshoumaru's, right next to Inuyasha's."

Light choking, nothing huge. Carry on.

We took a few steps towards this enormous staircase when this man came rushing down and almost bumped into us.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" He started. "Miss Rin! How are you this morning?"

"I'm good, Cole. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you, thank you!" He looked at me. "You must be Miss Higurashi." He smiled big and offered me his hand. "I'm Cole, the butler."

I was surprised. He didn't look anything like a butler. For starters, he was wearing jeans and a white T shirt. Not at all like the last butler I have met, at the Stick's house.

"Nice to meet you, Cole." I smiled back.

"Let me show you to your room. Please, follow me." He smiled bright at us and started climbing the stars again.

The house was huge. I mean, humongous. The Stick's house looked like a little studio next to it.

My own apartment – which I've always been proud of – could fit in their foyer.

"Everything is getting really nice out there. The backyard is completely different already, and we haven't even raised the tents." Cole commented.

"Oh, I would imagine." Rin answered. "It was _really_ noisy this morning."

"Oh, I do apologize, Miss Rin. I know how unpleasant it is to wake up to construction noises."

"It's not your fault."

We were almost by the end of the stairs when I slipped. It was made of white marble. Gorgeous, but really slippery. Cole offered us his arms to prevent us from falling down the stairs.

"Oh, be careful, Miss Higurashi! Those stairs have always been a problem, so slippery. The carpet is about to return from dry cleaning."

"You ok?" Rin asked after I slipped a little.

"Yes, thank you. I must have gotten distracted."

"These stairs have always been a source of concern for Mr. Taisho. Especially since the boys made a point to mattress surf every weekend."

"The boys?"

"Yes, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. When they were little, they invented this game, Mattress Surfing. They would teach it to all their friends who visited and played all night long, or until someone vomited. Miroku is also very skilled at it."

I couldn't help but smile at the image.

"How interesting."

"Yes. It was a common thing for the staff to find various mattresses lying around in the morning, until one of their cousins fell down and opened their eyebrow. There was blood all over the stairs, so their father banished it."

"Wow. How... Solemn."

We turned a corridor and he looked at us, like he had done something bad, and was ashamed and proud of it at the same time.

"I should not be saying this, but it was quite exciting. I have played and won a few trophies myself."

"Trophies? There was awarding?"

"Oh, yes! It was a beautiful trophy, forged from clay and finger paintng, in the form of a mattress."

"Ok, this sounds seriously cool."

"It is, indeed. If it wasn't completely banned from this household, I would be happy to coach you."

We stopped in front of a door.

"This is your room, Miss Kagome. Please, make yourself at home. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me. If they do not find me, just shout, I'll be here." And he smiled warmly again.

"Thank you so much, Cole."

"You are welcome."

Rin winked at me and walked away with him.

Turning the knob, I saw a beautiful guest room, all decorated in white and beige tones. All very clean, but very comfortable looking.

I saw my suit case already lying on top of a luggage rack in front of my bed. Walking to the window, I saw the path that would lead to the back yard under my window. Looking at my right, I smiled when I saw the ocean.

I sighed and walked away from the window, ready to take of my Torri Burch flats and put my worker shoes (I figured maybe Converses? They are comfortable) when there was a knock on the door.

"Um... Come in?"

The door swung open and my suspicions were confirmed.

"Great. They did what I asked." Inuyasha walked in and closed the door. "Bonjour. Do you like your room?"

"Yeah, it's beautiful." I smiled.

"In case you don't know, my room is the next one by your right. Even if I think that a wall is too much of a distance, I'm glad to have you sleeping close."

"Ah_,__ well._ _It's p_robable that I won't spend the night."

"What? Why?"

"Because-"

"You don't wanna be next to me?"

I smiled.

"It's not that, it's just-"

"I promise I won't attack you in the middle of the night. Only if you give me permission. In this case, I'll show up."

"Inuyasha..."

"Hmm, it's always good to hear my name pronounced like this. By you." He walked away from the door and towards me. "I missed you. A lot."

I stood there quiet, letting him caress my face.

"This is the part where you say you missed me too."

I smiled.

"I did."

"Good. You didn't get drunk with anybody else, did you?"

"Ah, no. But Kouga did open a bottle of wine when he proposed to me."

He was all serious.

"That proposal shit was serious?"

Do not laugh, do not laugh, do not laugh.

"Well, yeah."

He lifted my left hand and inspected it.

"So where's your ring?"

"He didn't give me one. It was all very spontaneous."

"Huh. No shit."

"Yes shit."

I could see his jaw muscles flexing and I just knew he wanted to ask me If I had said yes.

"Do you think that will be a problem for tonight? Because I was thinking, we could play our little game again, once everybody is asleep."

"Oh, I don't think that's a good idea. I reached my 'being drunk' quota of this semester."

"That's a shame."

He got closer to me again and lowered his face towards mine, until our lips got very close.

It's always very disturbing to feel the smell of his cologne so close. Even more if his hands are on my waist, pulling me against his body.

That was the case.

"I've never looked forward to o_ne of t_hese brunches like I have for this one."

"Why is that?"

He was so now caressing my face with his chin, his stubble tickling me in the most delicious way.

"Basically, because o you."

I couldn't resist resting my hands on the belt loops of his pants, just so I could feel his six pack, which I knew was there, hidden under his dark blue Henley.

And then I sighed like a Disney princess in distress.

"Please don't be mad if I say I feel like locking the door and blowing this whole thing off."

"I won't."

By now I was all dizzy and confused. I was experiencing goose bumps up and down my arms and legs because of his proximity and the way he was passing his fingertips up and down my back and playing with my hair.

"I have something to tell you..."

"I think I should go say hello to your parents. I haven't met them yet..."

"You'll have time for that after."

"After what?"

"After _I_ say hello to _you_..."

He was _so_ gonna kiss me. I confess I would have kissed him back, if someone hasn't knocked on the door on that exact moment, making us step away from each other.

"Come in!"

The door opened and a beautiful woman walked in.

"Kagome? I'm Izayoi, Inuyasha's m- Oh! Son, you're already here!"

"Oh, hey mom. Morning."

Inuyasha walked to her and kissed the top of her head. She just smiled at him and patter him on the stomach.

"I came to say hello to our guest!" She looked at me. "Oh, my, you are even more beautiful than those magazines photos I've seen!" She smiled big at me.

"Oh, thank you so much!" I smiled back, liking her already.

"Everybody tells me wonderful things about you. I was so looking forward to meeting you!" She walked to me and offered me a big hug. "Welcome to our home, dear. I hope everything is of your liking."

"Oh, it's all wonderful, thank you."

"Have you shown her the house, son?" she turned to Inuyasha.

"No, I just saw her now, too."

"Well, I'll do it, then. You go see if Miroku is awake. It's his party, it's not fair if everybody else is working while he sleeps."

"I'll grab a bite to eat first, I haven't-"

"Go fetch him first, and then you can both go eat. Go, go." She turned to me while Inuyasha opened the door again and winked at me before leaving. "Ok, dear. Miroku tells me you are in charge of the food committee, is that right?"

"Um... I'm not sure. But I guess."

"Ok. We are supposed to be stationed in the kitchen. We are now supervising the making of the toasts. According to the chef, they are not supposed to be on the toaster for more than seven minutes. Otherwise they will be burnt and not crispy the way we want them to be. And I'm here with you because I had to leave the kitchen in order not to hit him the head with the toaster." She smiled at me and I laughed.

She was very, very pretty. Long black hair, that was now on a braid over her shoulder, and the skin of an angel. So, so clear and smooth looking.

"Come, dear. I am, right now, supervising the cooking of an excellent bird. And you must try today's breakfast. It's my 'we have a party to plan' special."

We walked to the kitchen, where Inuyasha and Miroku were eating big plates of whatever breakfast was. Sesshoumaru had entered the kitchen before us and was now kissing the top of Rin's head, who was staring at a toaster like she was very irritated with it.

"Having fun?" he asked her.

"Oh, am I!" She answered, dripping sarcasm. "I think I'll drop my job and become a toast maker, I'm having such a good time."

"Not to be a pain or anything, sugar, but it's been eight minutes." Miroku said from his seat.

Rin huffed and popped the toasts out.

"Don't call her 'sugar'."

"See? They're perfect. It's a perfectly fine, eight minute toasted toast. I don't know what that awful man is bitching about."

"Miroku, can I have you for a moment? I need your help with- Oh, hey! You're here!" Sango smiled at me from the kitchen door.

"I just got here, a few minutes ago."

"Ok, people! Break is over! Let's work!" Miroku got up from his seat. "You can have me anytime, my love. What do you need?" He walked towards Sango.

"I need you to check this floor plan for me, real quick."

"Ok." He looked towards Inuyasha. "What are you still doing here, Taisho?"

"Uh, eating? I need food to survive, like any other living creature, how 'bout that?" and then he took a bite off his sandwich.

So boyishly charming.

"Fine, but once you're done, you need to go check the back staging area."

"I don't see why I have to be in charge of that. I don't see why I can't just stay here in the kitchen helping the ladies with the food. I could put some pigs in some blankets."

"There will be no such mundane things as _pigs in blankets _in my brunch, man. Get your ass moving."

"Language, young man!" Izayoi scolded.

"Sorry. And Rin, please try not to take your anger of the chef on the toasts, please? It's not their fault."

"I'll try."

"Sesshoumaru, have you-"

"I was about to leave to get the carpets and the lamps. Stop bossing people around." He got a toast Rin had buttered, kissed her and left.

"Kagome, baby preciosa, you know what to do, don't you?"

"No, I don't." I confessed. He looked at me, his face blank, for like five seconds.

"Ok. Shit. You know what? Izayoi? You're in charge."

"Oh, I know I am, dear." She responded. He smiled at her.

"Kagome, just follow her lead, ok? She'll tell you what to do."

"Ok." I shrugged and looked at Izayoi, who winked and smiled at me.

"Alright then. Let's go, babe." He and Sango walked out. Of the people at the kitchen, Inuyasha was the only one who was not supposed to be there. He was taking his sweet time eating that sandwich.

"Honey?" Izayoi caressed his back. "Don't get me wrong, I love to see you eating, but aren't you supposed to be... Doing something? Everybody else is."

"Yeah, I know, I'll be right there. Just, you know, let me gather my bearings first."

Whatever that means.

"Ok, what do I do?" I asked.

"Oh, well, you could separate the silverware. It's all right over there." She pointed to a spot on the counter, where, indeed, a big, big pile of all kinds of forks and knives and spoons lied, waiting to be sorted.

"Also" Rin added "The linen napkins need to be folded into swans, or bunnies or whatever. There's a, get this, video tutorial on the iPad over there."

I smiled.

"Fine."

Walking towards the big pile of silverware, I sat on a stool in front of it. The stool happened to be very close to Inuyasha, but that's not my fault.

"You look great." He whispered from behind his sandwich and all the spoons I was now sorting through.

"Thanks. Finish your sandwich and go help the people outside."

His _mom_ was right over there, you guys. I'm not about to flirt with a guy in front of his mom.

"They can survive a few minutes without me. And I still have something I need to talk to you about."

"We can talk later, when the party has started."

He sighed, put the rest of his breakfast in his mouth and got up.

"Fine. I'm going. If there's any food you think it's not good enough, call me. It may be good for my non picky stomach."

He kissed his mom on the cheek and walked to the door.

"Toast?" Rin offered.

He smiled, got it and left.

And I went back to my big pile of silver utensils.

.:.

After I finished separating them all into categories, I was now folding the napkins into what was called an Ascolt Tie.

I don't know.

"I heard that guy Macklemore is gonna be here." Rin said from her post.

"Really?" I asked. I love that guy.

"Well, I don't know if it's true. I'd like an autograph, though."

"Who's autograph, dear?" said the man that was entering the kitchen in that moment. I assumed he was responsible for bringing those two beautiful brothers into this Earth.

Gray hair and the signature golden eyes, I was face to face with Papa Taisho.

Man. I could so understand why Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are so... Yummy. Talk about good genes. The man was beautiful, all tall and royal.

He had this _really_ royal air about him.

Mr. T (it was his nickname, I discovered), was also very nice. He looked at Izayoi like she was made of diamonds and like his heart ached for her. I felt goosebumps on my arms when she smiled at him and accepted his kiss.

It was like, _true_ love, proving it existed, right there in front of me.

"Do you want something to eat?" Izayoi asked him.

"No, no, my love, not right now. I have to go help the DJ get set up."

She raised her brows and smiled.

"Really? _You _are going to help the DJ?"

"Well, yes." He smiled back, totally aware that she found the idea funny. "Do you not think I'm capable of that?"

"Do you know the first thing about a DJ's equipment?"

"How hard can it be? If it's anything like our stereo system-"

"It is not, honey. And you don't know how to operate that either."

"Oh, don't go around telling these beautiful girls those absurd things." He gestures toward me and Rin, who looked at each other and chuckled. "They are gonna think I'm an old man."

"Who gave you this job?"

"I offered my services. You know how much I like to be a part of the children's projects."

"Except they're not children anymore. It's a grown up brunch and the boys are all very excited."

"Yes, yes, I know. Where is Inuyasha?"

"He is, I believe, back stage."

"And where is that?"

"Oh, I don't know."

"And Sesshoumaru?"

"He went out to get carpets and lamps or something." Rin answered.

"Oh. Ok. I must go too, the DJ must need my help. Kagome, such a pleasure."

"Likewise." I blushed when he smiled at me, honest.

When he left, the kitchen was left for me, Rin and Izayoi and the occasional staff member that came and went.

"Izayoi, I'm sorry to ask, but..." Rin started. "I noticed you are... Smiling more often than usual."

She looked at my friend and open an even bigger smile that seemed to bounce off the kitchen tiles.

"Oh, you noticed, huh?"

"Kinda hard not to. You've been humming the theme of that New Girl show for the past then minutes.

She laughed.

"Yes, I am very happy." She ruffled some of the vegetables she had been peeling before sighing and looking at us. "Oh, it is so not my place to talk about this, but I cannot hold it in anymore." She leaned in and so did we. "Do you remember, Rin, when I commented that Inuyasha seemed less and less able to hide his lack of patience towards the Annoying One?"

"The what?" I asked.

"His fiancee, Kikyou. Ugh, such an insufferable woman."

I tried to hide my smile. Looks like Kikyou goes by many, many names besides her own.

"I remember." Rin answered, waiting for her to continue.

"Well, turns out... He broke up with her after he came back from Paris!"

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**BAM. That happened. Thoughts?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey there, babes!**

**A little later than I meant it to be, but I'm here. **

**So, this is the last chapter. I still have an Epilogue, but that's it. **

**I'm sad to see this end, but I'm also so happy I decided to translate it. Because I met you guys and you are all so wonderful. Thank you so much for reading my little story and for being such fabulous readers. I love you all. **

**I do have another project coming. It's still not ready, and I only like to post when I at least know the direction I want the story to take, but I think you'll like it. **

**Or maybe you won't and I'm just day dreaming here. **

**Anyway. **

**I'll be back next week with to close this baby up. Hope to see you all then. **

**Much love, **

**Nat'**

**P.S.: If I forgot to answer someone, I'm sorry! I got all mixed up! **

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**Reviews for chapter 11:**

**Saaliha: That comment blew me out of the water. That's beyond awesome. Thank you so much. And you're welcome for the reminder. I'm letting the Originals episodes stock up a little. I like heavy doses of Klaus at a time ;-)**

**Guest (10/04/13): Another #teamInuyasha, huh?! I'm glad you like the story! Thanks for reviewing. **

**So good: You're the amazing one. I'm glad you liked the emails, I loved writing them! Writing the guys is a challenge, but so much fun. **

**Guest (10/04/13): Wouldn't we all love to see that reaction. Even if I _know _it would be a violent raction, haha. Thanks for commenting!**

**animefreak: Can you imagine the drama if that actually happened? Haha! Anyway! Hope you like this one! XOX!**

**g0ld3n: I too find myself running out of ways to thank you. You know, by now, how much I appreciate you and your reviews. I felt so bad for not answering you last chapter. Sorry about that. **

**BrunoMarsismine: Did you like it, really? I was worried you wouldn't ^^' Glad I could make you smile, though! And I always listen ;-*****

**Roseflowers: Thank you so much! I'm really glad I did translate it. And even more glad that you guys like it. I do have another project. It's not ready to be posted yet, but I'll finish it. Hope you guys like that one too. Thank you so much for commenting!**

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**Reviews for chapter 12:**

**Sogood: Hey again! She is gone! Haha! The brunch does promise a lot. Check it out and let me know what you think of it! Thanks for the good luck wishes!**

**G0ld3n: Hello there, one more time! Resposta em português, apenas porque você parece tão interessada. Obrigada, linda! Beijos! **

** : You have your Private Messaging deactivated! Anyway. Thank you for commenting! I hope you like this chapter! **

**Demetria: I will finish it! Don't you worry ;-) And London, huh?! I'm gonna brag about being read in Europe to my friends ;-) Thank you so much for your review, and I'm so glad you're liking it!**

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I wish I could tell you that I dropped the fork I was polishing, or something cool or movie-like like that. In reality, I just made sure my eyes weren't bugging out in surprise.

"Oh my God!" Rin exclaimed, and I released the breath I was holding. "I never thought he was actually going to end it."

"Me neither, to be honest." Izayoi said, shaking her head. "Since he met her in high school, it was Kikyou this, Kikyou that. And I actually liked her at first, because she kept him from being this crazed out teenager I know he would have been if not for her. But then, dear Lord, what am intolerable girl! When they broke up after she got to college, I saw it as a good thing, because his world was all her, and that couldn't be healthy."

I was trying very hard not to smile throughout her narrative and not to jump in excitement. Instead I just mirrored Rin and payed attention to her story. When her toaster beeped, letting her know the seven minutes were up, she actually shooshed the object.

"I was actually very happy with the myriad of women he dated while in college. It was, at least, a way for him to flush her out of his system. But then she had to run into him in Barcelona, and he was blind for her again. Until recently, at least."

"Ah, yes, you told me. The _other _woman, huh?" Rin asked.

"Yes, precisely! He never actually said anything, but I just know there is someone else. He became this emotional roller coaster. He went from bored out of his mind to suddenly so excited, and then to depressed. I was so worried about him this past year, it was like he was running on auto pilot. And when I asked what was wrong, he just sighed and told me it was nothing."

Oh my God. Oh, my GOD, do you think he was depressed about me?

"And now I'm even more sure! Because he told me to tell Kikyou, if she asked, that he had gone to Ireland. I thought it was such a strange thing to ask, but then it hit me: he was going to Paris to meet another woman!"

"Oh, my!" Rin exclaimed again. I just sat there, watching the conversation, trying to put the pieces together in my mind.

"I was so divided. At the same time I wanted to scold him for having an affair, I wanted to hire a cheer leader team to support him, because Lord knows I cannot stand that woman. And then, after one week, he arrived all smiles and I saw him throwing his ring at the beach."

"_Really?_"

"Yes. It was a golden band she had given him to wear on his right hand. He just threw it on the beach before he went to bed after he arrived. I was so shocked, but also so happy. When I asked him what was that all about, he told me he had broken things off with the Annoying One, for good. And he was smiling so bright I thought he was hallucinating."

Sweet Baby Jesus. Oh my God. Someone call the fire department.

(I don't know why. But I think that looking at some good looking firemen would help, somehow. Do you disagree?)

"And look!" She touched her hair and moved it away from one of her ears, showing us this gorgeous pair of diamond ear rings. "He got me these, from Paris. He said he saw them on his way to the airport, stopped and bought them. He only does this kind of grand gestures when he is very, very happy."

I couldn't keep my smile in.

"What a considerate son you have." I commented, smiling brightly.

She smiled at me.

"Isn't he? Seeing him happy is good enough. It's even better that I get diamonds on top of it. And his father bought me a necklace after, because he said that he couldn't let his own son be more gallant than him. So it's a very good time for me."

We all giggled and went back to our tasks. Rin ate the over-cooked toasts and Izayoi continued to tell us stories about her family. I tried my best to pay attention, but I was so excited with the news it was hard.

After two hours of polishing silverware, folding napkins, toasting toast and figuring out portion sizes and a bunch of other things, the three of us left the kitchen and let the paid professionals finish the organization of the meals.

Izayoi went to her room to get ready, Rin went to her and Sesshoumaru's and I went into mine. I wanted to talk to Sango, tell her the news, but she was nowhere to be found.

So I just got into the amazing shower and laughed by myself for about ten minutes, while washing my hair and humming the theme of "Friends".

I was happy, you see.

I had just finished zipping my super cute just above my knees off-white dress (it had a flowing skirt, but a tight waist, which made it a challenge to zip it but myself, but I managed. Also, the cleavage was very s_exy, in_an innocent way), and fixing my hair (falling free on my back, with two locks held from my face with a pearly tiara. I looked like a damn princess) when I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in!"

"Are you almost ready?" Inuyasha asked, closing the door behind him, and I did my best not to smile like a fool.

"Almost, I just need to finish some details." I turned away from him and clasped this beautiful Bulgari bracelet Jimmy had given me for my birthday a few years back on my wrist. I saw him walking until he was behind me in front of the mirror.

"Details?"

"Yes."

"You look beautiful already, what details are you talking about?"

"My make up, I haven't finished it yet."

He turned his head to look directly at me, and then at my reflection in the mirror again.

"Why can't you go like this?"

I turned to him. He smelled fresh, with that perfume of his, wearing washed jeans and a gray shirt, barefoot.

"Why? What are you talking about?"

"You see, a lot of the guests are men, including a few old pricks who will actually be able to see you if you apply more make up, and then they'll droll over you for the entire day."

I smirked.

"So?"

He wet his lips with his tongue and _ho__l__y__ shit. _

"I'll be jealous."

Be still my heart. Calm down, seriously.

"I don't see why, you said it yousel-"

"I need to tell you something, Kagome."

I looked at him in the eyes, and I'm sure my own were sparkling.

"Ok, tell me."

"It's about Kikyou."

"Really? What about her? Did she pick the china patterns already?"

"Well, if she did, she'll be buying them for herself, because she's not my fiancee anymore."

I smiled and bit my lip.

"Yeah, I know."

It kinda came out like a whisper, because he was closer and closer, and I was about to faint and die.

His eyebrows shot up to his hair line and he scanned my whole face and sighed and I thought he was going to pounce and devour me whole, and I was so _fine _with it.

"You do, huh?"

"Yeah, your mother told me."

"My mother? Why would she do that?"

"Oh, no reason." I turned from him and towards the mirror again and started to apply powder to my face with my brand new brush from MAC. "She's just happy, it seems."

He chuckled.

"Yeah, she is. She can't stop hugging me whenever she passes me."

"What about you? Are you happy?" He asked me.

"Well, it's not very noble to be happy when a couple breaks up, you see. It's like you were actually-"

He interrupted me by making me turn to him again, holding me by my waist and kissing my ear and neck.

"Well, _I _am very happy. Because now you don't have any excuse to send me away."

"Oh, but there is an excuse." I managed to say while he planted open mouthed kisses on my neck.

"Oh, _please _don't tell me you are talking about that _stupid _little agent and his lame ass proposal."

"Why do you think it was a lame proposal?"

"Because you have no ring on your finger, for one."

"I told you, it was a spontaneous proposal. Some people find that romantic."

He lifted his head from my neck and looked at me.

Mad, mad Inuyasha. Weak, weak Kagome.

"Are you engaged to him or not?"

I smiled and sighed.

"He's very much in love with me, you know?"

"Are you engaged to him, Kagome?"

"He tells everybody I'm his wife already."

He raised one hand and got my chin, raising my face even higher, and touching his lips to mine, ever so lightly. His grip was strong and I was all ready to melt, because _oh, how brute!_

"Don't test my patience, love. Are you engaged to that god damn prick or not?"

I sighed.

"I should be, you know?"

He sighed as if relieved.

"I should be, because he is very good to me. He doesn't go around falling for boring, annoying women who like to wear polyester all the time."

He chuckled, and I felt it right in his chest, that was pressed against mine.

"I was an idiot, I didn't know _you." _

He bit my lower lip and then swallowed all the witty words and arguments I was about to send his way, by kissing me like his life depended on it.

"You know what I want to do tonight?"

I hated the moan that came out of me as an answer.

"I want to get drunk. With you. And then I want to resume our little french game, and I want to actually join you in the bath tub this time."

"Hmm, well." I said, pushing him away from me and turning back towards the mirror. "I don't think that's gonna be possible."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't like to get drunk this often, it's not good for my skin. And my liver."

I bent over the chair where all my make up was, got my lipstick, a rosy nude that would go really well with my outfit, and raised it towards my lips.

"You're teasing me."

"No, I'm not! I resent that implication." I winked at him through the mirror. He exhaled, pulled me against him and, no joke, unzipped my dress. The same one I spent five minutes trying to zip up.

"Inuyasha! What are you doing!"

"That's what you get." Then he put his arm around my waist, only he did it with his hand _in _my dress.

I felt all the kinds of shivers in the book. My feet and hands got cold, and my insides were boiling hot.

And then he brought his face down to my neck to do what he does best: leave purple bruises on my skin.

"Oh, no, no! I have a brunch to go, mister, and I cannot show up flashing hickeys to people."

"But you like to, remember? To your neighbor?"

"We are not at my place. Besides, she's moving, thank God."

"We _should _be at your place. Or mine. Or back in Paris. Maybe in a boat in the French Riviera, so nobody could interrupt us."

That was a good picture he was painting.

"Well, we are here, and we have a party to attend." I made him take his hand from within my dress. My skin missed his immediately. "Come on, zip me up. It's too difficult to do it by myself."

He sighed and did as I asked.

"How did you manage to zip it up before?"

"I asked your brother. He was passing by."

He froze.

"Excuse me?"

"Your brother was walking by the door when I opened it. I was actually going to ask Rin to do it, but he was there, so..."

"What do you mean? Sesshoumaru zipped you up?"

I looked at him as if he was being dramatic over nothing.

"Yeah. Why?"

He looked at the door and he had this murderous look in his eyes.

"I'm gonna _kill_ that son of a-"

"Hey, hey, calm down. I'm kidding."

He looked back at me, still very mad.

"Don't do that. Ever."

I just smiled and finished applying my eyeshadow.

"How did you zip your dress up?"

I rolled my eyes, still smiling.

"By myself. It was quite difficult. I was about to go and ask you for help, but then I managed."

"You should have gone. I would have loved the visit."

I finished applying my mascara and watched him watch me.

It felt really good. He was sitting on my bed, watching me apply make up, waiting for me so we could go the party together. Like a normal couple.

Inspecting my own face in the mirror, I decided I was ready. Putting my make up away, I walked to the door, looking at him.

"Shall we?"

He got up and walked towards me.

"I don't want to. I want to push you against the wall, smear your make up and make you understand, once and for all, that you're mine. But, stupid Miroku is waiting for me, so we have to go."

He pushed me out the door and closed it behind us.

Christian Grey _who?!_

_.:._

It was all beautiful. Just like those fantastic parties we see read about in Vogue. All the guests were there, Miroku even let some crashers in without invitation, like Ayame and one of those TMZ guys, as long as he promised not to film anything.

I was actually expecting to see Ben Affleck, but I guess he's too busy dealing with all that Batman hate.

The food was great, the music was great, but I was actually bored out of my mind at the moment. Bankotsu was sitting by my side, talking out of his elbows.

"It's been a while since I last spoke with you, Kagome. I think even before you went to Paris."

"Yes, it's been a crazy couple of months."

"Yeah, I know. I've seen some of your last work, it all looks amazing! I tried some of the latest designs, those silk items were great! It actually looked very good on me. I don't now if you noticed, but I've been working out, getting fit for some underwear campaigns, you know?"

While he spoke, I was scanning the grounds. Everybody seemed to be having a great time. I spotted Sesshoumaru talking to an older gentleman, and Inuyasha was agreeing with some blond.

And then it hit me. There was a rumor around, that he was seeing some woman from his office. I remembered feeling pissed about it, but then I remembered him in Paris, taking care of me and his emails with Miroku.

That woman was me. _Duh. _

Maybe he just didn't want to spoil what we had even before it started for real, or maybe he wanted to keep me to himself, I don't know. I just knew it was me.

I also knew it was me because he seemed totally unaffected by the bleach blond vacuum wrapped in a red dress that kept touching him.

"...Muscle pains. Those are the worst, but it's worth it. It's also not very good to not work out for big periods of time, because when you go back, it's like..."

I noticed she followed him everywhere. She was even greeting the guests like she was... With him, or whatever. She held his arm and stood by his side like she was Kate Middleton or something.

It was funny to watch Inuyasha trying to get away from her.

"...Special gloves. It looks kind of stupid, but they're practical. Hermés has nice ones. And they don't exaggerate on the colors, I hate it when they do that. My ex got me some boxing gloves last year for my birthday, but they were bright green, so I never wore them, because they made me look like..."

Izayoi was walking by. She saw me, smiled and sat by my other side. Bankotsu kept speaking. He was on a roll, apparently.

"Hello, darling. Do you think this is the woman that has his eye?" We both looked on Inuyasha's direction again. "Well, he doesn't seem very excited, does he?"

"He does not." I whispered back.

"I hope it's not her. Look at that dress. Is it horrible or what?"

"It is. It's _daytime_."

"Exactly! Oh! Honey! Come here!"

She was calling Mr. T, who was walking by.

"Is this horrible woman from your office?" She pointed towards them, and Mr. T nodded.

"Yes", he whispered. "It's Abi, it's his new secretary. The old one is on maternity leave, Abi is with him until she's back. Why do you think she's horrible?"

"Oh, look at her! I don't want Inuyasha dating such a bimbo!"

"She's a bimbo?"

"Please. Look at her dress."

"She seems really invested in him."

"I hope this is not her. I really do."

They excused themselves after that and went to talk to some guy Mr. T wanted her to say hello to.

"...Dogs in clothes. I think it's freaky. They're dogs, they don't want to wear clothes. Spend your money in something else, you know?"

Bankotsu was still talking.

"Uh, yeah, I know. Excuse me, Bankotsu."

I got up and walked towards Miroku, that had waved me over.

"Big model guy is making his move, huh?"

"Oh, shut up. What is it?"

"Nothing, just wanted to save you." Sango walked in and he kissed her. "Can you hold this for me?" He asked and handed her his mimosa glass. She took it and he walked away.

Only he walked towards the stage where this little band has been playing. And then he took the mic.

"Jesus Christ, what is he doing?" Sango said by my side.

"Hi, guys." Came his voice from the speakers. "How's everybody doing?"

People wooed and clapped. Especially the girls.

"Good, good. I'm happy you're having a good time."

Sango looked at me like she smelled trouble.

"I just wanted to thank everybody for coming, you guys are awesome."

We all clapped, which I thought it was a bit stupid, because we were clapping for ourselves.

"And I especially wanted to thank my beautiful, beautiful Sango. The star of my life, the owner of my heart." He smiled towards her and winked.

"Oh, my God, what an asshole." She whispered so only I could hear, but she had this huge smile on her lips, and she winked back at him.

"I honestly don't know what I'd do without you. Having you with me is so perfect I'm afraid I'll wake up at any moment."

Some people went "Aaaw...", others whistled.

Sango couldn't stop smiling, and her cheeks were rosy.

"I know you don't like surprises, and I know you don't like to be the center of attention. But you are, and you'll always be, the center of my universe."

Shit. What's happening?

"I'm not one for speeches, you know that. Whenever I make one, I end up screwing up."

We all laughed, but I was suddenly very nervous, Sango was very suspicious.

"So I'll just go ahead and ask. Marry me?"

People screamed as if it was Ryan Gosling proposing to Rachel McAdams on stage. My mouth fell open while people screamed and when I looked at Sango, she had a hint of a smile on her lips, her eyes huge on Miroku, who was wearing Inuyasha's Smirk, looking towards her.

I pressed her hand while she looked at him. He put his hand in his pocket, and it came back with that famous Cartier ring box.

"Oh my God." She chuckled and walked towards him.

I watched, unable to stop smiling, as she got to the stage and smiled brightly at him. Everybody shut up and waited for her answer.

Miroku was so charming up there. He pulled her to him and rested his forehead on hers, and then she nodded, and people started screaming all over again.

He put the ring on her finer and then he kissed her, and it was like we were at a concert or something, people were screaming so loud. Me included.

Rin suddenly bumped into me. She saw me from across the hall and came running.

"Oh my God! Can you believe it?"

We were clapping and cheering and screamed while Miroku kissed her and she hugged him. She looked at me from the stage and we, me and Rin, ran to her. We found Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru by the stage.

Miroku and Inuyasha shared this bear hug that was the sweetest thing to witness. Me and Rin hugged Sango and she showed us the ring.

Jesus Christ. Where is this huge diamond reservoir these guys seem to have?

And then Inuyasha's parents were there, acting as if it was their own son who had just gotten engaged. Izayoi was actually tearing up a bit.

When Sango hugged me again, she raised her brows.

"I think this is the 'thing' Inuyasha threatened to tell me in those emails."

I just smiled more and hugged her again.

I was so happy. I was even happier because I could see how over the moon with joy they were. Miroku hugged me very tight and kissed my forehead when I congratulated him.

"You look very hot, by the way."

Yeah. Some things don't change.

After that, the party _really _started. The music got a little louder, the band started playing more upbeat tunes, and we could dance like it was a club, only it was the morning, and the beach was right over there.

Miroku told us he had Inuyasha's help to choose the ring and everything. He was, of course, the Best Man. I was appointed Maid of Honor almost immediately after she had said "yes".

"Now, for the happy couple..." The singer announced and started playing some song in French, that apparently Sango loved.

It was a slow song, very romantic.

Couples filled the dance floor, including, of course, my newly engaged friends.

"I think the Made of Honor has to dance with the Best Man, huh?" Inuyasha said, pulling me with him.

"I didn't know Miroku could be so sneaky." I commented.

"Oh, he isn't. This whole thing was only possible because of my smooth influence on him."

"Yeah, ok."

"What? It's true."

He was in the process of smelling my hair when I spotted Izayoi looking at us, her hands on her face, eyes sparkling, like she just had the best surprise ever.

I smiled at her and she put her hands over her heart, a way of letting me know she was very happy.

Well, thank God.

"God, I missed your scent." He told me.

"My scent?"

"Yeah. This fragrance that is all you. My brain is addicted to it."

I looked at him, and he smiled at me.

"We have to go grocery shopping."

Um...

"What?"

"I need a new bed."

I smiled.

"So?" I was trying not to smile too much, because I had to act as if I didn't know he resented the fact that Miroku had gone shopping with me and he hadn't.

"So I want you to help me pick one that you like."

"And why is that?"

He got close again and whispered in my ear:

"It wouldn't be very productive if I told you why I want you to like my bed. Maybe later."

You guys are familiar with shivers, right? Good. Then I don't have to explain to you the feeling I got when he said that, or when he kept teasing my dress's zipper or when he squeezed my waist and nipped on the skin below my ear.

It felt good. That's all I'm saying.

.:.

The brunch ended well after lunch hour. It was about four in the afternoon when we each went to take care of something: the cleaning of the back yard, the storage of expensive material, the dispatch of rented equipment, payment of the staff, stuff like that. _We al_l found ourselves very busy.

Inuyasha's parents were very smart. They said good bye to everybody like half an hour before everything ended and went out, so they didn't have to help. They had an important appointment in the Hamptons, the baptism of some baby, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's cousin's daughter, or something like that. They were going to be there until Monday afternoon.

"Enjoy your stay here, darling! I hope you come back many, many, many times!" Izayoi said while she hugged me goodbye. She was treating me like a princess since she saw me dancing with Inuyasha.

He ended up convincing me to spend the night there. It wasn't very difficult, since I now knew I wouldn't have to put up with the Stick for two days straight.

I haven't seen him since we started organizing stuff. People went home and we saw ourselves with a huge mansion full of brunch stuff that needed to be gone. So we went to work, and after that, Miroku got a hold of the Taisho brothers so they could get celebratory drinks, to honor his engagement with Sango.

And that was ok, because as soon as the boys went to this bar they couldn't shut up about, Rin ran to this news stand two blocks away and came back six minutes late (the toast making had made her do everything in seven minutes intervals, and she was still having trouble letting go) with this paper bag full of bridal magazines. We served huge portions of ice cream with all the toppings possible, went up to Sesshoumaru and Rin's, because it was the biggest of the three rooms, and planned the whole ceremony, the party, the honey moon, the brides maids dresses, everything. We came up with a hundred invitation ideas, we looked at the ring, we giggled, we looked at the ring again, from every possible angle.

Very, very girly stuff.

When the clock hit eight thirty, I was exhausted. We all were.

"I think I'm gonna go, girls. The boys are about to come back, and I think I'm gonna need a... Moment, with Miroku. You know, my fiance."

We laughed, like three teenagers planing on losing their virginity.

"But oh!" Rin suddenly exclaimed. "Please don't make too much noise. You guys share a wall with me. We don't want to hear your monkey business."

We giggled. There was an awful lot of giggling that night, now that I think about it.

"I promise not to make too much noise, if _you _don't make too much noise." Sango pointed at Rin.

"Both of you could not make too much noise" I said, getting up from the bed. "It's enough I have to endure Eri banging on my wall all the time to let me know she's doing it, I could use a break from that."

"_As if!_" Rin jumped "You'll have you chance to make your own share of noises. I saw the way Inuyasha was looking at you the whole day, young lady. He was about to unzip your dress right there by the begonias."

"Oh, he was _not." _

He was so.

"Yes he was. And don't try and lie to me. I'm dating his brother, I know when a Taisho has a target."

"Ooh, what an expert." Sango fake-mocked, from the door. "Night, girls." And she left.

Three seconds later and she opened the door again.

"Oh my God. I'm getting married to Miroku. I'm getting married to the perv I hate since forever."

I exchanged a look with Rin. We walked to her and made her sit on the bed again.

"Sweetie. You're getting married, yes. But it's to the man you love." I said.

"The man you only _pretend _to have since forever." Rin helped.

"Exactly. And he's crazy about you. Like, coo coo."

"Over the moon."

"You say your name to him and his eyes sparkle."

"He's a fool for you, really."

"And he's rich."

"There's that."

"And he loves you."

"So, very much."

"And you love him too."

"You do, don't you?"

She breathed and looked at us, a nervous expression on her face. And then she smiled, very timidly.

"I do. I do love him, with all my heart."

"There you go! This is perfect, honey!"

"And this was all his idea. I haven't been pressuring him at all. I don't even talk about marriage around him, because, you know. It's _him_."

"We know. That's even more proof. This is all him. Because, again, he loves you."

She sighed.

"He _does _love me, doesn't he?"

We chuckled and nodded.

"So much I can't even be around you guys for too long. I'm afraid I'll get diabetes, so sweet you are."

She laughed and sighed.

"Ok. Good. Thanks girls." And then she left again.

I looked at Rin and she raised her eye brows to me.

"I'm so glad you're the Maid of Honor. You have Bride Sango all to yourself. Good luck."

Huh. Well, shit.

.:.

I was already very, very heavy into sleep. I was having a bunch of confusing dreams and everything. I was so heavy it was like my body weighed a ton.

I was so deep I didn't even feel the heavy bounce of my mattress when a body dropped by my side.

I opened my eyes when I felt the bed moving, like there was a kid jumping up and down on it.

When everything came into focus, all I could see was Sango's huge brown eyes, her face smiling at me, real close, and a heavy smell of alcohol.

"Oh God!" I jumped. "Sango! Jesus! What the hell?" I had to hold my head in order for it to stop spinning. I got a massive head rush from jumping up too fast.

"I'm trying to wake you up for like, forever! You are a very heavy sleeper, Kagome."

I sighed and tried to orientate myself.

"And why, for the love of John Krasinsky, are you trying to wake me up for forever?"

She smiled and handed me a glass of margarita.

"Come on, we are celebrating my engagement."

I looked at the glass.

"What are you talking about, you psycho? I'm sleeping!"

"Yeah, you're the only one. Come on!"

I saw myself getting up, slipping into my silky robe and following her out the door, still very confused and half asleep.

But all the sleepiness vanished when we turned the hallway and I found out that there was smooth jazz playing, a bunch of lamps were on and people were sitting on the first step of the huge slippery marble stairs.

By people, I mean Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Rin. They were all having Margarita's

"Oh, finally! Where have you been?"

"Um... Sleeping?"

"Have a mini quiche." Sesshoumaru offered me a tray filled with small – like tiny – appetizers.

"What's going on?" I took the tray from him and just stood there.

"Well" Inuyasha got up and took me by one hand, to sit beside him. "Cole tells us you know all about our championships. So we decided it was time for you girls to learn it."

"Learn what?"

"Mattress Surfing." Miroku said, suddenly appearing, with two mattresses under his arms, and kicking another one ahead of him.

"This is the first time in almost ten years that mom and dad are out of the house and we are all here at the same time." Inuyasha pointed at himself, to his brother and to Miroku.

"And you mentioned you liked the idea of surfing." Sesshoumaru said, all serious, like they were about to initiate me to a cult or something.

Oh my God, were they?

"And today we are celebrating my engagement, so we figured it would be ok if we stepped aside Mr. T's rules, just for an evening. Sango cannot become my wife and not know how to mattress surf."

In less than five minutes, I went from deep asleep, dreaming about saving puppies and then taking showers with Ian Somerhalder to an illegal soiree, with booze, brunch leftovers and a banned sport. And cute guys.

"I'm sorry we woke you up." Inuyasha whispered once I sat by his side. "It's just it's not fun if you're not here." and he kissed my temple.

I looked at him and smiled.

"I'm glad you did. I do want to learn how to surf." I winked and he looked at me that way he does, like he's pondering if he should jump me now or later.

I looked away and got up again.

"Ok! I'm up now. Who's gonna teach me?"

"Whoa, hold on, Missy!" Miroku lifted his palms, as if to hold me back. "It's not that simple. The three of us have been doing it since we still had our umbilical cords."

"Damn it, man, gross." Inuyasha protested.

"We've been perfecting the art for years now. And, as we grew up, we discovered the adrenaline is not enough to slide down these sleek steps. You need alcohol in your blood."

"A good amount, too." Inuyasha said, refreshing the glass I still had in my hand.

"Come on, 'Gome!" Rin said, a bit louder than necessary. "Me and Sango had four already. You're falling behind."

Sighing and trying not to laugh of the look Sesshoumaru was giving Rin (she was a funny, funny drunk), I took sips of my glass.

"CHUG!" Rin shouted.

"Ssh, Rin. Settle down." Sango patted her arm.

The boys wanted me to be... Lubricated, so to speak, before we started. So we talked while they made sure my glass was never empty.

"Ok, _see? _This doesn't happen. It just doesn't!" Rin exclaimed, looking at a magazine she had on her lap. It was the new issue of Cosmo.

"What doesn't happen?" I asked.

She lifted the magazine and turned it to us. There was a picture of a shirtless Ryan Gosling, lifting Emma Stone over his head, like in Dirty Dancing. It was a scene from that movie, _Crazy Stupid Love. _

"Stuff like this is not real! Who _does _that? NOBODY!" She tossed the magazine on the floor.

"Well, it's Hollywood, Rin. Nothing in Hollywood is realistic." Inuyasha interjected.

"I know that. It just lies to us, that what it does. Save rare exceptions."

"Yeah."

"Like Twilight."

We all looked at her.

"Uh... What?"

"You think Twilight is true?"

"Ok." She pointed an accusatory finger at us. "Maybe- Maybe not _exactly _like the movies, but, you know. Some parts."

Half of us tried not to laugh, the other half was still deciding if she was serious.

"You think the Twilight vampires are real?!"

"Oh, ok. What do _you_ think? That the _True Blood _ones are the real ones? Or, or those ones who like to write on Diaries? Yeah, right." She scoffed.

Sesshoumaru just looked at her. Inuyasha hid his face behind me and Sango held Miroku's arm to keep him from arguing further.

"Ok!" She said. "How are we on that mattress thing?"

"I think we're good, judging by the level of the talk." Miroku got up, and we all followed his lead.

"Ok, let's see if I still got this." He said, positioning a mattress with his feet.

"Who said you get to go first?" Sesshoumaru stopped him.

"Well, nobody. But since this is my engagement party, I figured I could, Mr. I Always Need To Go First."

"I'm the oldest. It's only logical."

"And that's why I always end up going first." Inuyasha set up his own mattress by the steps. "You two waste too much time discussing details."

"Or because you always cheat and don't wait for things to be settled."

"Or because I'm too smart."

"I suggest we settle this like we always do."

Rock, Paper, Scissors. Miroku won.

"Ok, babe. Watch this."

He stepped onto the mattress, gave himself an impulse and started to slide down. When he reached the middle, he used his legs to turn he mattress towards us, and went the rest of the way backwards.

He looked very, very charming doing it, because he looked very relaxed and was smirking at Sango.

"That's it?" Rin asked. "Any kid can do that. Gimme here. My turn."

The three of them looked at her like she had just insulted Yoda or something.

"_What_?" Inuyasha was offended, I could tell.

"Rin, I don't think you-" Sesshoumaru started.

"No, no, I saw him! It's so easy!"

"Well, it _was _easy, because I've been doing it since I'm four years old." Miroku said, climbing back up.

"Oh, come on. It's so simple I could start crying right now."

"Guys, I have to agree with her. It does look incredibly easy."

"Oh no." Miroku said, turning to Sango. "Not you, too."

"Now you're gonna say _you _think it's easy." Sesshoumaru turned to me, all menacing.

I just stood there, looking from the boys to the girls.

"Ah, well..."

"Oh, no, come on." Inuyasha complained, and then turned back to the boys. "Remember when this was a major chick magnet? Every girl in school and in this neighborhood wanted to Mattress Surf."

"And not just on the stairs, if you know what I mean." Miroku joked with Sango, who looked at him, not at all amused.

"Those were good times." Sesshoumaru let his mind wander. Rin slapped his arm.

"Come on. Give me a boost. Hold this." She gave her margarita glass to Inuyasha and hopped on the mattress.

"Hold it!" Miroku said. "Don't you guys think it's best if she went from halfway? It's her first time."

"Good idea." Sesshoumaru started to pull her off the mattress and climb down the stairs.

"No, no! I want to go all the way!"

"Lucky Sessh." Miroku whispered and I tried to hide my chuckle.

"Rin, don't argue."

Wow. He _commanded_. Really, it was an order.

Sexy.

She made an angry face and accepted going from half the stairs.

"Now, what you have to do is: bend your knees a little, it'll give you more flexibility to move. And look ahead. You can use your arms to maintain your balance. And keep your feet apart, otherwise you'll fall."

She got into position.

"Ok. Back off now."

Neither Inuyasha, Miroku or Sesshoumaru did. They just stood there by her side, waiting for her to go.

"BACK OFF!"

They jumped back. Only Sesshoumaru kept himself planted behind her.

"Ok, here I go." She said in a sing-song voice.

She started really well. Steady and all. But after two seconds, one of her legs went up and she started waving her arms around.

Sesshoumaru jumped all the way to the bottom of the stairs and caught her right before she fell, sliding with her in his arms like a princess.

"Now _that _was cool!" Sango pointed.

"It's bumpy! Why didn't you tell me it's bumpy?!"

"Because you kept saying how _easy _it was. I didn't have the time." Sesshoumaru said, smirking and raising his brows towards Inuyasha and Miroku.

He actually made a joke.

He must be _seriously _drunk.

The boys laughed.

"Now, who's next? Babe?" Miroku offered his hand to Sango.

"Yeah, well, no. Kagome goes first. If she gets there in one piece, then I'll go."

I looked at her.

"So I'm your guinea pig?"

"Yes." She smiled brightly at me.

"Ok then!" Inuyasha pulled me to the middle of the stairs and made me step on a mattress. "Now, everything you saw Rin doing, do the opposite."

"Haha, very funny." Rin said, now perched on Sesshoumaru's back like she was a spider monkey.

Yes, I'm using Twilight references. Get over it.

"Bend you knees." Inuyasha kept instructing me. He was holding me in place by my waist and that was the only reason I wasn't flying down the stairs. "Not so much. Ok. Arms out. Like this, good. Be careful now."

And then he let go.

"No no! Wait!"

But I was already sliding down.

Like Rin said. It looks very easy. But it bumps a lot!

Because, duh! It's stairs! Not a ramp or whatever. It bumps like a bitch.

When I reached the end of the stairs, Miroku was there smiling at me, with open arms for me to land on. When I reached him, he stepped aside and took my hand, making me do an involuntary U turn by the foot of the stairs.

"Oh my God, that was awesome!" I celebrated when I stopped.

"Very nice! Very, very nice, princess!" Miroku high fived me. "You just need a little more elegance and you're set."

Sango felt it was safe enough for her after I landed in safety. Inuyasha let her go and Miroku got her at the end. Rin was upset because she was the only one who fell.

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru went next.

Hot damn.

They both went at the same time, from the top of the banisters! And when they reached the middle, they jumped real high and switched places! It was so cool. And so, so, so hot. Because they were both shirtless by now.

And then the three of them went together, on a king sized mattress. It's really hard to go in groups, because everybody has to have the same balance and coordination.

I know, it sounded all wrong, but keep your mind out of the gutter and you're set.

"Sango. It's good that you are his fiancee now, because I'm telling you, with that torso he got, Miroku's an easy target."

We giggled.

There was a lot of alcohol guys. Everything was funny at that point.

"What's so funny?" The owner of the torso in question asked when they landed brilliantly.

"Nothing, honey. Nothing."

We continues drinking, eating the snacks from the party, including a cheap Thai food take out Inuyasha had ordered (cheap, but tasty), listening to music and just talking all night long.

Inuyasha was always by my side, at all times. Sometimes I caught him looking at me. He always smiled when I looked in his direction, and winked at me.

The best part of the night was when Miroku suggested we set up a remote camera and went down the stairs surfing in couples, on top of single mattresses, to save the moment. The stairs were wide enough to fit all of us side by side.

I don't have to explain the couples to you, do I?

"Everybody ready?" Inuyasha asked, behind me.

"Yeah." Miroku and Sesshoumaru answered. Me and the girls just went "uhul!"

"I'll lead, ok?" he said in my ear.

"Ok."

"Ready?"

"If you scream that again I swear I'll rip your arm off." Sesshoumaru threatened. "Let's just go."

The three of them made the mattresses move at the same time and then there was a flash and we were all at the bottom of the stairs. Sango suddenly grabbed my arm, making me fall, pulling Inuyasha down with me. Miroku's leg, who had fallen too, tripped Sesshoumaru, and he and Rin fell on top of us.

"What the hell was that?" Sesshoumaru complained.

Miroku got up and they started talking a bunch of things that I wasn't even listening, because Inuyasha was on top of me.

He was on top of me, and he was looking into my eyes and it was like Paris or all those other times we were this close.

He was looking at me. And he was mine this time.

He lowered his head until his nose touched mine.

"You're really here, right?"

I smiled and I nodded, looking into his eyes and, one more time, marveling on that amazing golden color they were.

And then he was kissing me, while Miroku and Sesshoumaru said a bunch of things I didn't care to hear and Sango and Rin talked over them, but I didn't listen to that either.

It wasn't the most exciting, or the sexiest kiss we've shared, but it was one of the most precious one.

Because it was the first kiss we didn't have to hide.

The first kiss ehere we didn't have to be aware of our surroundings, to be careful so nobody would see. The first time I kissed him and I didn't have to hold my feelings in check. I could hope and dream and wonder.

A second before he lifted his lips from mine, Miroku noticed the fact that Inuyasha wasn't screaming too, and that I wasn't dancing with the girls (I don't know why they were dancing), so he looked in our direction.

And then he walked to us, sat beside where our mattress had landed, put his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder and said:

"Finally. It's about time."

And suddenly everybody was sitting with us and he had to climb down from me.

I wanted to pout.

"Is this soap opera over, then? I cannot take you sighing around anymore."

Sango clapped her hands and then put them on her chest, like she was relieved.

"Oh my God, does this mean that I can hate the Corpse Bride now?"

Inuyasha laughed.

"Hey! She's not a bride anymore." I pointed out, lifting my head so Inuyasha could put his arm under it.

"We can all hate her!" Miroku opened his arms, the biggest smile on his lips. "I've hated that bitch since high school! Cheers!"

Everybody cheered and Inuyasha hid his face on the crook of my neck, smiling, and hugging me.

"See how stupid you were being?" I caressed his hair.

"I already admitted to that."

And then Sesshoumaru punched his brother's leg, because it was already over my own legs, and he didn't want any of that happening in there.

"You'll have time for that later. I'm eating here."

"Ok, am I the only one who think this is huge news?"

Rin said from her spot against Sesshoumaru's chest.

"What do you mean?" Miroku asked.

"Why are you guys not freaking out over this? This is _huge_ news!"

"Well, not really. Inuyasha has been mopping around because of Kagome for almost a year now." Sesshoumaru said, caressing her hair.

"WHAT?! A _year_? How did I not know this?! Why didn't you tell me?!" She looked at me, and then at Sesshoumaru, waiting for an answer form either one of us.

"Well, first of all, I really don't care that much. And second, he's my brother, I'm not gonna go around telling on his private life like that."

Inuyasha took his face from my neck, looked at him and put his hand on his own chest.

"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said, bro."

"Shut up. And keep you leg away from Kagome's, I'll punch you again."

"So everybody knew but me!"

"Hey, don't give me that! Everybody knew about you and Sesshoumaru, and I had to find out all by myself about you two."

She blinked a few times.

"That's... Different..."

"By the way" Sesshoumaru said, looking at her. "I can do that thing you said people don't do."

"What thing?"

"The Dirty Dancing thing."

She jumped and looked at him, all full of hope, her eyes wide.

"You cannot."

"I can."

"Ohmygod, do you _swear_?!"

He sighed.

"Do you want me to?"

"_Yeah!_" Rin, me and Sango said at the same time.

He looked at Inuyasha, like he was bored out of his mind. When his brother shrugged, he got up and told her to stand on the other side of the room, facing him.

"Ok. Run to me and then jump as high as you can."

"You gonna drop me." Rin was skipping in place, a huge smile on.

"It's like you don't know who you're talking to. Come on."

I was holding hands with Sango, we were both watching anxiously.

Rin laughed, took a deep breath and then took off in Sesshoumaru's direction. When she reached him, he bended his knees lightly, grabbed her by the waist and, like in the movies (both Dirty Dancing and the Ryan one) lifted her over his head, while she screamed in excitement.

Me and Sango screamed too, and clapped and cheered.

"Oh my God! Ohmygod ohmygod again!" She said when he put her down. She clung to his neck and kissed him. He had the smuggest Smirk on. Just like Inuyasha's.

So he ended up lifting the three of us a few times. I almost cried with joy when he said I was "super light".

We remained on our spot in front of the stairs until like, four in the morning. After that, the boys returned the mattresses to their respective beds.

I had just finished brushing my teeth when I heard knocking on my door.

"Yes?"

I was expecting to see him already.

"Going to bed?" He asked.

"Believe me, I'd love to stay up and chat, but all those margarita's are taking their toll."

He smiled.

"Well. Looks like I got you right where I wanted. The wrong country, but I'll let that slide." He walked to my window and looked outside. "Damn. I wanted to take you outside so we could watch the sunrise by the beach. Looks like he beat me to it."

I walked to where he was and stuck my hand out the window too. There were two forms lying on top of a duvet in the backyard, facing the sea. Sango and Miroku were tangled in a perfect love scene, with her resting her head on his chest.

"Awn. Look how happy they are. That's so sweet."

He closed the windows and the drapes, and then he lifted me from the floor, making me straddle him.

I held him by his neck and then he was kissing me, very hard.

"I love you. I love you I love you I love you".

I only had time to smile before he threw me on the bed and landed on top of me.

_Now _the kisses were like all those others we shared before. Only it was so much hotter and so much better because he was _mine mine mine_, and I was _his his his._

Just us. Nobody else. Me, him and his naughty hands.

(And also the rest of him, but you get my point.)

"I love you." He said right before he lifted my nightgown over my head, kissing my neck and downright biting and squeezing me in all the right places. "You know that, right? I love you so fucking much it hurts."

I smiled ant lifted my arms. He took it off me and pulled me against him.

"I love you too."

I was glad I didn't promise I wouldn't make noise. Because I would have broken that promise, if you know what I mean.

Well. Looks like I don't have to go and chat with the nuns anymore.

(Maybe to ask for forgiveness for the vile, vile things that happened in that bedroom.

But no. Scratch that. I will _never _apologize for that.)

* * *

**I'm sad, for some reason. Are you, too? Tell me!**


End file.
